


Sucker for You

by TheWritingDork, what_in_the



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: All the stuff that goes with vampires, Asexual Michael Mell, Autistic Michael Mell, Magic, Mild Mind Control, More tags to be added, Multi, Nonverbal Communication, Original Broadway Cast, Scent Marking, Transgender Jeremy Heere, Transgender Michael Mell, Vampires, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-01 07:08:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 71,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23347459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWritingDork/pseuds/TheWritingDork, https://archiveofourown.org/users/what_in_the/pseuds/what_in_the
Summary: Michael knew going to college would bring about a lot of changes in his life. New friends, a new place to live, new faces. One thing he didn't expect was becoming a werewolf.In his junior year, Michael meets an enigmatic stranger who instantly catches his attention. Not only is Jeremy adorable beyond belief, he's also somehow very relaxed about the fact Michael becomes a big, hulking dog every month. It's a perfect match.But when Jeremy's mysterious past starts impacting the present and Michael's body starts reacting in ways he can't explain, can they come together despite their difference and heal the rift between their species?
Relationships: Dustin Kropp/Original Male Character(s), Jake Dillinger & Michael Mell, Jake Dillinger/Rich Goranski, Jeremy Heere/Christine Caligula (Past), Jeremy Heere/Michael Mell, Michael Mell & Jenna Rolan, Rich Goranski & Jeremy Heere
Comments: 21
Kudos: 51





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey lovelies! We're back and better than ever! Kinda. Over here in the UK, we're kinda on lockdown which is great for writing, not so great for working :))) Oh well, at least I have fan fiction to keep me company.  
> This story is the obligatory vampire/werewolf fan fiction that every fandom has. Yup! We're ticking off all the boxes, one after the other. To be honest, though, I really enjoyed this one. Writing Jeremy as some ancient dumbass twink was super fun. Also Marshal. I love my boy Marshal.  
> This first chapter is more about getting us settled in the world and giving a bit of backstory as to why Michael of all people managed to end up as a werewolf. He's certainly not outside often enough to get bitten.
> 
> And now a word from my favourite person :3c
> 
> Hey guys, Ari here!  
> So, things are crazy. Online college is killing me in so many ways. Thank god for Mara doing this stuff for fics right now.  
> So, I love trans Michael and I really wanted this fic to happen for a while so... Yeah. It’s finally here. I really hope you guys enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing this. c:  
> Also, sorry if these notes are bleh. Like I said, these online classes don’t mesh well with me. Ugh.
> 
> If you like our works, check us out over on tumblr! I'm Mara, aka what_in_the (BoogleBug on tumblr) and my partner is Ari, aka TheWritingDork (michaelmellancholy on tumblr) If you wanna chat or have anything you wanna show us, send us a message over there!

Michael took a long slurp of his slushie, relishing in the sweet, fizzy goodness. Ah, just what he needed after a long week of classes. He had also gotten some awesome (greasy) Seven-Eleven pizza, and he took another bite of that as he went outside into the cool fall air. 

Was it healthy? Not in the slightest. Did he care? Nope. 

Michael had been visiting this particular Seven-Eleven since last year, ever since he started college. He was so glad that they were all basically the same inside. It made the change of living away from his moms much easier to bear.

Michael perched himself on a bench right next to the small, grassy area about two minutes away from his favorite building. He could still see the fluorescent glow from here. As he sat, he munched on the pizza, almost finishing it before an unexpected visitor dropped by.

A large, black and brown dog appeared in front of him, tail wagging hopefully as it eyed the pizza crust Michael was nibbling at. The dog was massive, looking almost wolf-like, but it didn't seem dangerous. Just a little hungry. The dog sat a little away from him, far enough away to not be in his space, but still close enough to be present in case Michael dropped anything.

Michael couldn’t help but smile at the dog as he finished the bite he took. The slices were huge, so there was still two-thirds left of the crust. With his choice in mind, Michael put down his half-finished slushie (well, Slurpee if he was going to go by brand), before holding the crust out to the dog. “Hey there, buddy. You want it? It’s all yours.”

The dog's ears perked up and he (Michael now could tell the dog was a ‘he’ somehow) wandered closer, slowly. He didn't seem afraid at all; it was almost as though he was trying not to spook Michael. He seemed really sweet.

The dog took the crust carefully, munching it down without moving away, before licking at Michael's fingers in appreciation.

Michael couldn’t help but grin down at the dog. “Aw, thank you, bud.” He carefully held his hand up, making sure it was alright, before petting the top of the dog’s head. The dog growled happily, his tail thumping loud and hard against the ground once he scratched behind his ears. “Oh, you like that, huh? You’re such a good, polite boy.”

The dog let out a quiet bark, as if to say thanks, before looking up, trying to nuzzle Michael's wrist as he stroked his head. It was both adorable and funny, especially when the dog tried to lick Michael, his tongue catching his wrist occasionally.

“You’re so nice. Gee, if only my dorm let me keep dogs. I think Jenna would like you... Maybe Madeline would too, but I dunno about Nicole.” Michael just smiled down at the dog as he started scratching his head with both hands.

The dog practically melted under all the love he was getting. He scooted forward and rested its head on Michael's lap, looking up at him with a blissful sort of calm in his eyes. He seemed... more intelligent than other dogs somehow, even if he acted the same. He snuffled a little before just relaxing into the touches.

“Mm, how can you be a stray? You’re too sweet and smart.” The dog had no collar. Maybe he had gotten loose or ran away? No, no way. “I’m sorry, buddy. I’d keep you if I could.”

The dog huffed, and Michael swore it sounded like a laugh. Still, the dog's tail wagged and he nuzzled against Michael's stomach playfully, enough to tickle without being overwhelming.

Michael couldn’t help but laugh as he leaned a bit back at his bench. “Oh my god, bud, t-that tickles,” he half-whined, half-laughed as he kept scratching behind the dog’s ears.

Michael yelped when he felt a cold, wet nose brush his skin, but the dog pulled back only enough to stop the touch. He looked like he was grinning, tail wagging contentedly and ears perked up. Then he leaned up and started trying to lick at Michael's face.

It took all Michael had not to screech and laugh. It had been ages since he got to play with a dog, and none had been so initially friendly and energetic to him. “Oh my god, bud, stop.” He cackled as the dog licked at his mouth, though he quickly shut his mouth. Pulling his head back even further, he playfully pouted up at the confused pup. “No licking the grease off my face or in my mouth, that’s grody.”

The dog whined sightly, but stopped. Instead, he just nuzzled at Michael’s cheeks and sniffed there. Michael did freeze when he shifted quickly to near his neck, only to laugh softly when he nuzzled gently there too. In fact, he put his paws up onto the bench and just rested his head on Michael's shoulder, quite happy and still so gentle.

“You’re so sweet, you’re like a big love muffin,” Michael mused as he reached up with a hand before running it through his fur. It was quite smooth and soft... But he had to be a stray. Something didn’t add up.

The fur was also so much thicker than any of any dog he had come across. Like, it was  _ super _ thick, almost ridiculously so.

The dog growled happily, licking Michael's ear before shifting again. He hopped up on to the bench, surprisingly being careful of Michael's Slurpee. He rested his head on Michael's lap, looking up at him pleadingly.

Well, Michael had made his bed. Time to lie in it. 

Picking up his Slurpee and drinking a good quarter of it, Michael started to pet the dog’s head. “You’re sweet,” he murmured after finishing his sip before taking his phone out. He had to send Jenna a Snap of this big boy.

The dog looked up at the phone before grinning. There was no other way to describe the upward tilt of his mouth, the bearing of his teeth in a friendly way and the way he squinted and his tongue lolled out. He even lifted a paw and pawed towards the phone, as if waving, his tail wagging madly.

Holy shit, this was an amazing dog. Michael made sure to take a few pictures after sending a Snap to Jenna. “You’re so photogenic. And so sweet and silly.”

The dog 'boof'ed quietly before relaxing and getting comfy on Michael's lap again with a happy huff.

Michael smiled before just petting the dog. He could afford to do this for an hour longer before walking back to his dorm. This doggo deserved that much loving at the very least.

  
  
  


Michael felt  _ horrible _ . His entire body ached and his skin felt like it was both too big on him, and too tight. He couldn't stop shivering, but he was burning up.

Why did Jenna have to choose today to go and study late? This was about a hundred times worse than Michael's periods.

He was left practically immobile in bed, wrapped in a light sheet and almost nothing else. It was the closest thing to comfort he could handle. He couldn't even get up to grab himself a drink.

He tried to reach for his phone but whined at the pain. Damn him for being a forward thinker and plugging his phone in. Also damn him for leaving his ten foot cord in his backpack and thinking it was fine to use the normal, short cord his phone came with. He couldn’t even text or call Jenna for help. Also, both Madeline and Nicole left for the weekend, so he was all alone.

Michael's shivers got worse the longer he was lying there. Moonlight started streaming in between the crack in the curtains and, for some reason, Michael  _ really _ wanted to lie in it.

Using all his strength and pain tolerance, Michael slithered out of his bed and into the sliver of light, finding that though the shakes got worse, the pain died down somewhat.

He took a few deep breaths as he shut his eyes, somehow able to feel the moonlight actually falling against his face. Michael eventually sighed and smiled as he tried to reach up and pull his black-out curtains away a bit to get more moonlight, even if his arm trembled.

More moonlight felt so much better. Michael felt like he was shivering out of his skin, but at the same time, he started feeling  _ good _ . Stronger. 

Then the pain started. Intense cramps all over, all at once, hit Michael in a wave. He screamed, and he was sure he heard the sound of bones snapping with how he thrashed and screamed and whimpered.

As quickly as the pain started, it stopped, and Michael was left lying on the floor, trying to catch his breath.

As he caught his breath, everything left his brain except the fact that he was hungry. Michael needed something to eat, and he needed it  _ now _ .

Slowly getting up on his hands and knees (he was still quite sore and achy), Michael made his way over to the door. When he made it to the door, he tried to open it but couldn’t quite grab onto the handle. Why couldn’t he do that? He did so earlier, and he wasn’t in as much pain as he was before. The hell!

His brain was a little fuzzy still (why did that seem funny right now?) so instead of doing anything else, he just tried to knock down the door, shouldering it with as much strength as he could. It wasn’t much, honestly, but it was something he could do. Maybe Jenna would get home soon and save him. He was so hungry.

It took Michael a minute to remember that the door had a handle he could just push down on, it wasn’t a knob. It was a weird handle, and he just had to pull the door to him! Right!

With that goal in mind, Michael pushed down on the handle, pulled it back, and hurried into the kitchen. He needed to eat.  _ Now _ .

Michael was finally satisfied when Jenna got home. His stomach felt full and he was content to lie on his back and just enjoy things. He didn’t hurt anymore, and he was full. Life was good.

“What the fuck?!” Jenna screeched when she came into the kitchen, eyes wide and afraid as her bag dropped unceremoniously to the floor. She was staring right at Michael, seemingly terrified. Michael was pretty sure she was hyperventilating, and there was a weird smell coming from her direction. Sort of like bitter almonds. Eugh.

Michael slowly shifted to sit up, realizing now that he probably shouldn’t have eaten as much as he had. Oh god, he ate some of her leftovers too. All the stuff was all over the floor. 

He went to say sorry, and he could hear himself say that he was sorry, but he also heard a whimper if he listened close enough.... What?

Jenna raised her hands in a sort of calming gesture, that weird smell still coming from her. “Okay, so you ate everything.” She sounded like she was fighting to stay calm. “You just stay over there with the food, and don’t eat me. I’m going to call someone to come and get you.”

Why would he eat her? And who would she be calling? Jenna wasn’t making any sense. 

His brain was still happily fuzzy though, so he just shrugged it off to go sit on the couch. Oh, he had left his big blanket out here with his stuffed lab plush. Sweet. He cuddled with Ellie and got under his blanket before watching Jenna with worry.

Jenna looked more confused now, less scared. “Get off the couch. And that’s Michael’s plushie, you shouldn’t be playing with that.” She sounded almost confused. When Michael cocked his head in confusion, Jenna put her hands up again and stepped back. “Sorry, sorry. You can stay there, just let me call animal control.”

But he was Michael, and he wasn’t an animal. Was she high or something? She didn’t really smoke though, not unless it was with him. Jenna admitted to him that she didn’t feel safe smoking with anyone else. 

Michael tried to say something to ask if she was alright, but it was a mix of him asking and... a low, soft howl? Wait, what?

He tried saying Jenna’s name, but as well as the word, he heard a soft ‘boof.’

Jenna froze again, but this time in confusion. She took a slow step towards Michael, then another when he didn’t react. She still smelled weird, but less intensely weird now. 

After a moment, Jenna stopped right by the couch and held out her shaking, closed fist by Michael’s face.

“How did you even get in here? We’re up on the third floor...” she muttered, eyes darting all over Michael and over to the door.

Michael reached forward, instinctively sniffing. Why was he sniffing? Why did he boof? What the hell was happening?

He realized that he was nuzzling against Jenna’s hand, not fully feeling the contact of her hand as he did it. Seriously, what was happening?!

Jenna shifted so her hand was open and she started stroking it along the side of Michael’s head. “Hey, it’s okay, it’s okay,” she murmured gently. “I guess you’re just as freaked as me, huh.” She looked around after a moment. “I wonder where Michael is. He said he didn’t plan on heading out today, and I’m sure he’d love to meet  _ you _ .” Michael got a scratch under the chin and oh lord, that felt heavenly. “He loves dogs.”

Wait. 

Dogs?

Michael looked down at himself and was able to see and think clearly. He was furry, had dog legs, and was a huge fucking dog! No wonder Jenna was so freaked! Now he was freaked because how the hell did he turn into a huge dog?!

Michael started whimpering and whining, both as a dog and with his normal voice. How the hell was he a dog?!

"Hey, it's okay. It's okay," Jenna murmured, stroking Michael's head and scratching his ears and wow, that was a nice feeling that registered through the panic. It gave him something to latch onto to calm down a little too. "You're not in trouble, buddy. You just startled me... You're not dangerous at all, are you? You're a sweetheart."

Michael needed to calm down or he’d have a breakdown... as a dog. He did  _ not _ want to see how that would happen, so he tried to focus on Jenna and her nice scratching. He wasn’t in trouble, Jenna trusted him still, they would (hopefully) figure this out.

“Yeah, that’s right hun. Just relax.” Jenna sounded like she was actually relaxing too, and the weird smell had faded entirely. She scrubbed at his ears and down his back, making Michael fall boneless.

He heard a loud, continuous ‘thump’ing noise, realizing after a second that it was his tail hitting the couch. God, if he wasn’t so relaxed, he’d be freaked.

“Aww, you’re so cute,” Jenna almost cooed. “If we were allowed, I would totally keep you.” She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his muzzle. “I still wanna know how you got in here, though. The door was locked.”

How could he convince her that he was Michael and not some dog? He tried to think before getting off the couch and hurrying into their room, even if Jenna cried after him. 

Alright, he still had his stuff here. It was a bit messy from earlier, but he normally had a neat side. Jenna did too, but that was beside the point. What in his room-

Hah! The picture on his wall of him and his moms! He hopped up onto his bed with surprising grace as Jenna came in after him before nudging the picture of him and his moms. Hopefully, she’d get it.

Jenna frowned, clearly very confused. “What? Do you... you recognize Michael and his moms?” Ugh, this wasn’t working. What to do?

Ah! His hoodie! Michael quickly grabbed his hoodie, trying his best to slip his head through it. Jenna made a sound of protest but didn’t stop him. One he had his head through, he tried to stand up on his back legs, managing to let out a soft bark.

Jenna frowned, then her eyes widened and she stumbled back, landing on her bed. “No fucking way.”

Michael pointed to himself specifically and then tried standing on his hind legs again. He could only do it for a few seconds before nodding and whimpering. He needed her to understand. Michael even went as far as trying and somehow managing to rest his glasses on top of his head. No way could he actually wear his glasses.

Jenna was speechless, trying and failing to say something. Eventually, she let out a small, almost broken sounding, “Michael?”

He nodded again as he lay down on his bed. She finally understood, thank god! Now he wouldn’t be panicking alone.

Jenna approached him slowly, lightly removing his glasses. “Can I help you out of the hoodie please?” she asked quietly. Michael nodded and let her remove it. Then Jenna sat down on the bed.

“Mikey, you’re a dog. How are you a dog?” she murmured in shock, stroking his ears. “You’re a fucking adorable yet intimidating dog, but still.”

Michael leaned into Jenna’s touch, relaxing a bit as he tried to think. He honestly had no clue  _ how _ he became a dog. Since he didn’t know, Michael did his best to shrug from where he was lying before flopping down onto his side.

Jenna huffed before humming. “You remember that giant friendly dog you met last month?” she asked slowly. “Well you kinda look like him... different colors, but the same sort of dog...” Michael could almost hear the gears in her head turning. “Mikey, I think he was like you. You’re a werewolf or something!”

He did his best to raise his brows at her (did it even look like he had brows?). That dog didn’t even bite him or anything so... And no, it wasn’t weird that he believed that werewolves were real right then and there because he got turned into a huge fucking  _ dog _ .

“Yeah, I know you said you didn’t get bit.” Jenna must have  _ somehow _ read his expression. “But maybe you had a paper cut or something. You  _ did _ say he licked you a lot.”

Had he even done anything to get a paper cut- Yes, he had a lot of papers he was working with. Fuck, that was probably it. So he got turned into a werewolf because of saliva entering his system... Great.

Jenna snorted. “You look so done, dude.” She kept stroking his head and back. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure this out.”

They would figure this out. Right now though, Michael was content to let Jenna keep petting him as he relaxed for once today.

  
  
  


The next day was... interesting. Michael fell asleep as a wolf, and he woke up a human. A naked human. He didn't mind too much, but Jenna did freak out a little. Still, he never thought he'd be so happy to have very little body hair.

After a meager breakfast of some toast with lemon jam, Jenna dragged Michael out to do some shopping. Since he had eaten almost all the food in the dorm, Jenna had insisted that he pay for the majority of the shopping to replace it. It used up all his video game budget for the rest of the year. New games would have to wait for January.

Michael followed behind Jenna, head ducked slightly in shame. He probably looked like a kicked puppy, honestly. Which was a weird comparison now. Damnit.

They were just making their way through the meat aisle when a tall boy approached. He looked vaguely familiar, probably from around college, but something about him made Michael want to duck his head further. Either that or just like, bow or something. It was a weird feeling since this guy gave off super chill and friendly vibes, and he looked kinda sheepish.

He didn’t go and bow or anything, but he ducked his head further as he stuck with Jenna. Hopefully, they would just keep going. Michael wasn’t really in the talking mood, especially with the guilt he felt.

But the dude insisted on following them. 

Jenna, of course, noticed. She stopped their cart by the poultry and glanced over at the guy, tugging Michael to sort of be by her side instead of behind her. “Is there something you need? Neither of us really like being followed, you know.”

The guy stopped and ducked his head a little in shame before coming over. “Sorry, I wanted to come over and apologize. And introduce myself, officially.” He chuckled and held out his hand to Michael. “I’m Jake Dillinger. I’m the- er- wolf from last month, and pack leader.”

Michael blinked a bit in surprise as he looked over Jake and his extended hand before taking it and shaking it. "You're... a pack leader? So, there's a whole bunch of, uh, wolves?" Jake sheepishly nodded. "Why were you with me last month then and not them?"

“They were away with family last month. And I... got lonely?” Jake shrugged sort of helplessly. “As a wolf especially, I tend to want to be around people. Comes with the territory of being a leader.”

He nodded as he fiddled with his fingers. “Did you, um...  _ mean _ to turn me into a wolf too?”

Jake shook his head, eyes wide and hands waving around a little. “No no no no, I’d  _ never _ turn someone without their prior permission. Not on purpose.” He sighed. “I didn’t realize I was- Er, you were injured on your hands.”

“Yeah, paper cuts from printing and stapling papers together,” Michael explained with an exasperated smile. “Good to know, at least. You don’t seem like a rude dude anyway.”

Jake opened his mouth to answer, but was cut off by a slightly annoyed voice.

“Jake, you’re not bothering strangers again, are you?” A short girl with shaved blonde hair strode up. 

“No, Brookie, I’m just introducing myself to the newest wolf. The one who I got accidentally.” Jake sounded a little sheepish again. Clearly he respected Brooke quite a lot.

Brooke looked over at Michael before her eyes softened with sympathy. “Oh, I’m sorry. Yesterday must have been horrible for you.” She glanced over to Jenna. “I’m guessing you know if Jake is saying this in front of you?”

“I came in to see, we’re direct roommates. He needs to restock our food,” Jenna explained, and Michael dipped his head again. 

“Oh, let me pay! I have money and it’s my fault this happened,” Jake insisted as he waved his hands. “Please, it’s the least I can do.”

“Are you sure?” Jenna asked, clearly taken aback. Michael was as well. Jake nodded and grinned.

“Absolutely. Please, I wanna help out a bit.” He glanced over at Brooke. “And yeah, I already knew she knew. She’s got his smell on her already.”

“She- oh.” Probably from when they cuddled last night. Yeah, made sense. “Uh... This is a lot to take in at nine in the morning at Stop and Shop.”

“Oh I’ll bet.” Brooke nodded. “You need to think of  _ timing _ , Jakey-D,” she scolded lightly. Jake ducked his head and shot her what could only be described as puppy eyes. Brooke sighed. “How about you two do your shopping, this idiot pays, and then we all go out to grab some Pinkberry and catch you up to speed? Of course, you’re welcome to join us too...?” She paused and glanced at Jenna, probably waiting for her name.

“Jenna, and yes. Michael drove me here anyway, so I sort of need him to drive me places.”

Jake grinned. “Awesome. Let’s get going then!” Brooke facepalmed at his enthusiasm, but she was smiling.

Well, this was a part of his life now. Michael had to get used to it and adjust. With Jenna and these two, he hopefully wouldn’t have a hard time adjusting to being a werewolf.

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Lovelies! Mara here once more!  
> SO where last chapter we had Michael actually becoming the puppy everyone is sure to adore, this time we have him getting a bit more settled and meeting the cute guy of his dreams. Dorky enough to be unthreatening but mysterious and hot enough to be a serious consideration for boyfriend material, Jeremy certainly has his charms! Enjoy!
> 
> And now a word from my favourite person :3c
> 
> Hey guys, Ari here!  
> So our boy Michael is settling into life as a werewolf after a year. A year isn't long in the grand scheme of things, and he has a lot to learn. That includes learning more about this guy he met near Seven-Eleven that was in his normal bench spot. ;3c  
> Hope you guys enjoy!

It took time and advice from Jake and Brooke and the rest of their pack to figure out the best way to handle transforming. Yes, their pack. They offered to have him join, but Michael just didn’t feel right joining. It just didn’t settle well with him for some reason, but Jake accepted it. Though he still made him an honorary member, so there was that. 

Jenna and him decided it was good for him to get high before he’d transform so it wouldn’t be as painful and he’d be calmer when transformed. Thankfully, Nicole was never there, as she was always staying with her girlfriend and eventually just left the dorm. Madeline just was always busy with so many clubs and eventually taking a semester abroad. 

They also decided pretending Michael was a wolf dog (an actual thing that he looked like when transformed) was good. The two of them kept that up as they eventually became juniors and somehow snagged the apartment-style dorm, the best one someone could get, to themselves. They technically were supposed to stay in the same room, but they ended up getting their own rooms. More space was always better. 

But yeah, after a year of figuring out werewolf stuff (and they were both still learning), Michael was getting better.

Despite all the changes in his life, one thing that _hadn’t_ changed was his love of slushies. Which is why he still went to his favorite Seven-Eleven to get one.

He was just heading over to his bench when he spotted something odd. Or rather, someone.

No one ever sat at the bench, that was part of the reason Michael loved it so much, but today, someone was there. It looked like an attractive guy, but... he smelled weird. Almost old. Michael could just about make out his scent, he wasn’t very good at it yet.

Michael sort of stopped on his way over to his bench, sipping on his slushie as the guy seemed to be enjoying one of his own. A red one. Nice choice. Still, he really liked the spot, and even if the guy was cute and people sucked to talk to, he wanted to sit there. 

“Um, hey.” The guy looked him over and ah geez, he was really cute. Gayness, calm down. He wasn’t _traditionally_ cute or attractive, but god damn if those eyes behind those glasses and his whole face didn’t make his knees weak. “Uh, would it be alright if I sat here? I normally do and, uh, normally, I’m the only person who sits here, like, ever.”

The guy shot him a friendly smile. “Oh, sure.” He scooted over and patted the spot next to him. “I wouldn’t want to kick you out your spot. I just found this and liked it. ‘Tis cozy.” He wiggled in an adorable way, taking a sip of his Slurpee.

Gay thoughts, seriously, calm the hell down! 

Michael smiled at the guy and sat down where the guy patted. "It's very cozy. It's also a little bit away from the hum and bustle of Seven-Eleven while still having some of the lights. Plus, dogs come by sometimes and it's nice to pet them."

“Good to know. I like dogs.” The guy grinned. “By the way, I’m Jeremy. My family just moved to town.” The slight tilt of his head and bright smile was just honestly so cute. How the hell was this guy checking all of Michael’s boxes (physically anyway)?!

"I'm Michael. I'm a student at the university nearby, working to hopefully be a humanitarian. Though, that won't come right away and it's not the degree I'm working for, so sorta working with queer and gender studies along with psychology," he explained. God, did he just give too much info to this cute guy? Probably. Stupid!

Jeremy smiled brightly. “Oh that’s awesome! Nice to have someone so passionate representing people like me one day.”

It took Michael a second to process that. “With, uh... queer studies?” he asked before taking a sip from his Slurpee.

Jeremy ducked his head, looking embarrassed but surprisingly not blushing. “Er- yeah. Bisexual here. And trans dude, so...” He grinned.

“Oh, hell yeah, pride it up. I’m an asexual homoromantic trans dude myself,” Michael said around a smile before drowning his gay crisis into his Slurpee. So he theoretically had a chance with this cute guy... Hopefully. Maybe.

Jeremy perked up at that. “Really? That’s so rad!” he cried. “It’s so rare that I find another queer person so quickly.” Jeremy was grinning.

“I guess. I think I’m sorta a magnet for it since I grew up with a bi mom and trans lesbian mom,” Michael offered with a bigger smile. Why did he just feel... so at ease with Jeremy? It was like he’d known him for ages when, in reality, he’d only known him for a few minutes.

Jeremy slurped at his slushie. "Well... My... family is... We don't really get out much. So we don't really get into the scene much when we settle somewhere."

“Well, hopefully you’ll be able to now,” Michael offered with a smile before he felt his phone buzz. He took out his phone, glancing at it for a sec before groaning. “Uh, sorry, I gotta get going. My roommate forgot her ID in her room and doesn’t wanna pay the twenty-five dollars for a Lockout to let her back in.” He stood before looking back at Jeremy. “Uh, I’ll see you around though, yeah?”

"I'll be here. I'm addicted to these things. They keep me alive these days." Jeremy cackled, holding up his Slurpee.

"I'll see you back here then, at this concrete oasis." Damn Brooke for getting him on a bit of a musical kick with the Heathers bootleg. Before he could embarrass himself further, Michael waved and hurried to get to his car and back to his dorm.

He sent Jenna a text about how she _so_ owed him for making him dip so quickly with this cute dude at Seven-Eleven. All he got back was a series of emojis that he knew meant that she was laughing at his gay misery. Ugh.

  
  
  


Jeremy wasn't at the bench the next day, or the day after. Michael was ready to give up on seeing him again, he must have scared Jeremy off or something, which was why on Sunday night Michael wasn't expecting much. He was pleasantly surprised to see Jeremy there, slurping away at a slushie.

"Hey Michael!" he called, somehow knowing Michael was there despite not even turning to face him yet. He quickly pulled out a tissue, wiped at his mouth, and grinned at Michael. He seemed just as surprised, and maybe just as happy too.

"Hey." Michael smiled as he took a sip of his blue-raspberry and cherry mixed Slurpee, sitting down next to Jeremy on the bench. "I thought I had scared you off or something. You weren't here the past few nights... Or maybe you're a normal person who just doesn't come to Seven-Eleven every night and knows how to actually manage money."

Jeremy giggled. "I've been here, I just tend to come later." He shrugged. "I've have some... family issues. My... We adopted someone new recently, so I've been taking care of her. Normally I'd be working tonight, but I have it off thanks to that." Jeremy was being very careful with his words, which seemed odd. It added to the mysterious vibe that seemed to cling to him

Even if he didn't quite get what Jeremy was talking about, Michael nodded before taking another sip. Mm. "Well, it's good to know that you care a lot about family."

"Yeah... We've all been through a lot. It's brought us together." He sighed, a strange look in his eyes. After taking a slurp of his slushie, he turned back to Michael. "Anyways, it's good to see you again. I was worried that my awkwardness had scared _you_ off."

"I mean, you could have been awkward but I didn't notice. I have a hard time with social cues sometimes." Michael shrugged before realizing how much he was giving off to Jeremy. Seriously, what the hell was with him? Why was he willingly giving up so much stuff to him? Someone normally had to get to level four of friendship to start hearing anything about his autism.

Jeremy looked interested instead of freaked, so that was a good sign... Maybe. "Really? I honestly wouldn't have been able to tell, you've been _delightful_ to talk to." He scooted a little closer. "Two quick questions. One, are you alright with friendly contact? And two, are you alright with friendly contact from _me_ ? 'Cause I'm rather fond of you already and I don't wanna freak you out by being _too_ friendly too quick."

"Oh, uh, yeah, I'm good with friendly contact and friendly contact from you, just so long as you don't, uh, touch my chest except for hugs?" He smiled down at Jeremy, even if his heart was racing a mile a minute.

"Sure. It's pretty much the same for me, if I'm honest. All my friends before thought I was just weird like that, they didn't know I was trans and that it was just genuinely a sensitive area." He scooted closer as he spoke, leaning their arms together. He was a little cold, but in a really nice way. It matched Michael's furnace-like heat for once.

"Well, I obviously get you, so I'm not thinking you're weird," Michael said as he panicked internally over Jeremy's hand touching his (well, it just _brushed_ against his hand, but it was basically Jeremy touching his hand, alright)!

Jeremy shot him a small smile, then quirked an eyebrow. "Dude, chill. You're freaking out, I can practically smell it." He chuckled. "You don't gotta worry, I don't bite. Often." He sniggered. Inside joke, probably, but it did help relax Michael somewhat.

"Sorry, just... nervous, I guess. Got a lot on my plate, y'know." Giving the best grin that he could, Michael tried to drown his brain in Slurpee in order to give himself a brain freeze. ...Nope, didn't work. Damnit.

"Yeah, I get that." Jeremy shrugged. "And, y'know, gay panic and all that." Michael almost choked on his slushie. Jeremy burst out laughing. "I'm _kidding_!"

After coughing and clearing his throat of the fizz, Michael just laughed at himself. God, it wasn't like Jeremy was a mind reader, he had to calm down. "Hey, the gay panic is always present and looming."

"Very true." Jeremy nodded sagely. "You just get better at hiding it with age." There was a sort of playful twinkle in his eyes. "You could be sitting next to the most attractive guy of the century and, with enough practice, he'd never even realize you were interested."

Wait. Was he flirting? Or was Michael just overthinking it? Or was Michael overthinking it when Jeremy was just plainly trying to flirt? Or was Michael just being stupid? Or maybe it was everything or possibly nothing and Michael was reading too much into all of this? Was he even making sense? Probably not. Augh!

"Maybe," Michael managed to sputter out before whining. "S-sorry. I have a poop brain.” Goddamnit Michael.

Jeremy nudged him gently. "Worry not, fair one." He grinned. "You have not offended me, nor caused me any discomfort." How did the strange, formal talk sound so natural coming from Jeremy? "But, since you said you struggle with social cues, I'll clear things up. That _was_ a flirtation. Of the nigh on scandalous sort."

God, he was going to _die_. "Oh, uh, sweet." Michael smiled at him as he fiddled with the straw of his drink. "I just don't think I'm used to getting flirted with and hit on by someone I'm interested in, so it's... a bit much right now."

Jeremy practically lit up. "So my pursuits aren't in vain. Huzzah!" He was a little weird, but the same sort of brand of weird that Michael adored. Also, a side note: Jeremy looked _adorable_ when he was happy.

"No, they are not," Michael assured him as he couldn't help but laugh. "The person whom you are pursuing just isn't used to being pursued in any way, shape, or form, so said person is not quite sure on what to do besides bumble and stutter like a crushing fool."

Jeremy giggled, and Michael thought that he might have seen the barest hint of a blush, but no. Jeremy just seemed to be totally blush-proof somehow. "Well, said person just needs to sit there and continue being absolutely ravishing and let the one who intends to woo him get to know him a little better." He winked at Michael. Fucking _winked_.

"Said person will do their best to do just that, but said person needs to calm down that the one who intends to woo is actually trying to woo." As he finished, Michael fiddled with the hem of his hoodie, though he didn't stop smiling.

Jeremy lightly tugged on Michael's sleeve, prompting him to look down at Jeremy, meeting his eyes. They were a beautiful shade of blue, with the smallest hint of brown in one. It was unique, and just so... enchanting somehow.

"Hey." He smiled, voice soft. "It's okay. You can relax, you don't have to get worked up around me... not because of any attraction or anything like that," he promised. For some reason, Michael believed him fully, and found that he actually _did_ start to relax.

"Sorry, like I said, I _am_ nervous and stressed a bit right now." Which was true, the full moon was in a week. He got a bit antsy when that was coming. "Those nerves and that stress plus the sudden flirtation just didn't seem to settle well with me, at least until now. Uh... yeah. I'm better now, I promise I won't be a bumbling mess."

"You don't need to apologize, Michael," Jeremy reassured gently. "I just don't want you getting worked up when there's no need. You're safe around me. I've been around long enough to have stopped judging by my first reaction."

Michael nodded as he hummed. "Well, good to know. It's also just a hard habit to break, getting worked up and apologizing for getting worked up."

“Oh, I feel you there.” Jeremy chuckled, looking down at his slushie. “Took me ages to break it, and even now I still slip.” He took a long drink, like stupidly long. Michael was impressed, especially after he got no brain freeze apparently. “Out of curiosity, how old are you? ‘Cause I don’t wanna start something and then find out that it’s a weird age gap.” He chuckled.

"Oh, uh, I'm turning twenty-one in May," Michael said as he looked at Jeremy (he had to glance away for a moment to think). "Sort of started school and university at weird times, so I'm younger than everyone else in my junior year basically. How about you?"

“Twenty three years of living, last I counted.” He snorted. “I was born in December. On the twenty first, if you’re interested.”

"Oh, on the Winter Solstice? Nice," Michael commented. "I was born on the fourth of May, which makes it great for a geek like me."

“May the fourth be with you!” Jeremy crowed, cackling. “Oh god, I _love_ Star Wars. Went to see it in cinemas and everything. What do you think of the new ones?”

  
  
  


"-And he knows Stars Wars. When I told him my birthday, he made the date joke," Michael finished after laughing before dropping his head onto the edge of Jenna's bed. "Jenna, I'm gay and I don't know how to handle this. Help."

Jenna peered down at him, clearly amused. “Wow. I haven’t seen you this smitten since Mindy’s brother shared his chocolate with you at the start of freshman year.”

"Yeah, but I didn't have a chance then. He told me that he was straight after flirting with me for a week. _Jeremy_ is bisexual, very clearly told me he was interested, _and_ he said he wanted me to think about dating before saying anything. He wanted me to think this over, and I wanna date him, but I'm just- augh." Michael made an array of noises before burying his face into Jenna's comfy sheets.

“You’re a mess, hun.” Michael felt Jenna running her fingers through his hair. It was a nice, soothing feeling, magnified by the wolf-like tendencies that appeared before and after the full moon. “If you wanna date him, just go for it. _Or_ you could wait a bit and see where this goes. Give yourself some time to adjust. It sounds like he’s willing to wait if you’re not ready yet. He strikes me as decently patient, if nothing else.”

Michael sighed as he leaned a bit into Jenna's touch. "It just... I dunno. He'll eventually find out about the werewolf thing and I dunno. He seems cool, but how would he handle having a furry boyfriend once a month?"

“Considering I can deal with having a furry best friend every month and have been half adopted by the pack as the token human, I think he could handle it pretty well.” Jenna snorted. “Then again, I don’t know the guy. You’re gonna have to make that call for yourself. What’s the worst that could happen? He’d reject you, that’s it.”

"I mean, I guess..." Michael glanced up at Jenna before smiling up at her, albeit a bit sheepishly. "You're a good friend, Jenna. If we get married somehow down the line, you're being my Best Woman. Fuck everyone else."

“You’d better believe it, honey.” Jenna smiled, ruffling Michael’s hair fondly. “Now, tell me _exactly_ what about this boy that’s got you tied up in knots. You’ve gushed about what he likes and stuff, but you haven’t told me what sealed the deal with you.”

Well, it was because he couldn't exactly place what it was. "I just... Something in my heart and mind just knew. Like yeah, he's cute, but just... Something clicked when I saw him. I don't believe in love at first sight, but I knew, even if we didn't date, that I wanted to somehow be involved with him for the rest of our lives. I know, it sounds dramatic, especially since I'm only twenty, but..."

Jenna’s eyes were soft, and almost wistful. “Wow... I wish I had that sort of certainty in my life.” She huffed. “Well, I guess that means there’s only one thing you _can_ do.”

Michael raised a brow as he nuzzled his cheek into the softness of her comforter. "And that is?"

“Win yourself that man.”

He yelped in surprise before huffing. "God damn, Jenna. I mean, I'm going to do my best to do that, but holy shit."

Jenna cackled, flopping backwards next to Michael and grinning over to him. “When you do woo him and win him over, keep me updated? I’m gonna make sure to steer clear when you bring him around the first time so you can have plenty of make-out space,” she teased, sticking her tongue out.

"My _god_ , Jenna. We're also not living in the same room anymore, so you wouldn't have to worry if that ever happened," Michael pointed out. "I also know you're just teasing me to make me whine and push you, so I'll give you one of those things." To prove his point, he shoved Jenna's arm.

Jenna grinned. “You’re so predictable, Mikey. Now get over here, I need myself some puppy cuddles, damnit.”

"Predictability isn't always a bad thing," he said as he scooted over to lie next to Jenna. "Also, can we order a pizza? I'm getting hungry, Papa Johns is still open for another two hours, and I didn't eat dinner because I was busy talking with the cute boy."

Jenna typed something out on her phone before cuddling up to Michael with a happy sigh. “I texted Jamie, he’ll be here within forty minutes with our usual order. There’s cash in my purse, but you owe me for half.”

"What? Bullshit, I paid for the pizza last time," Michael grumbled as he nuzzled against Jenna. "But also thank you to Jamie."

Jenna giggled. “Had to try.”

  
  
  


Even if Michael was not an actual member of the pack, he was an honorary member. Honorary members who were werewolves had to come to the meetings before the full moon. Well, it was normally four days before the full moon to give everyone time to prep.

And so here he was, sitting in Jake's dorm. Everyone in here was a werewolf, so it smelled very much of dog. Not that that was a _bad_ thing, but it was something to note.

Jasmine and her kids, Ollie and Markus, were there too for once, which was rare. Normally they were all at school or working, or preparing for them both if it was an evening meeting like tonight. The benefits of a weekend meeting.

Markus was currently trying to sneak up on Michael, crouched low to the ground and moving slowly, eyes wide, mischievous and focused. He was going to pounce for sure.

Right before Markus pounced on him, Michael turned to face him. “Hi, Mark.” He waved and snickered at Markus’ whining. “You gotta work on your stealth if you’re gonna sneak up on me.” So far, he hadn’t caught Michael off guard to date.

Ollie, however, did. Regularly. He pounced on Michael from the side, using Markus’ failed attempt as a cover. “Gotcha!” he cried, hugging Michael around his waist and nuzzling against his arm lovingly. “I gotcha again, Uncle Mikey.” Michael loves these kids, honestly. Even if he never wanted any, these two were especially adorable. He’d babysit them happily if Jasmine ever decided to take time off from being a mom.

“Oh geez.” He looked down at Markus before seeing his mischievous grin. “Wait, did you plan this? Are you the brains behind his operation, Mark?” 

“I’m not telling,” Markus sung before Michael scooped him up and got him into his lap. 

“You little mastermind! You’ve outsmarted me.”

The boys both cuddled Michael, careful of his chest as always, and were just being utterly adorable. They also made adorable wolves since they were still in the phase of being all the wrong proportions. They were lucky that their transformation wasn’t so painful. Being a born werewolf must be nice.

“Hey, Michael.” Jake grinned, coming over. “These two aren’t causing you any trouble, are they?” His tone was light and playful, and the boys both squealed and hid their faces against Michael.

“Nope, they aren’t. They had just promised me that they’d get me some candy next time I met with them,” Michael said before both boys cried blasphemy. “What? It’s true, you both did that.”

“Uncle Mikey!” they both whined. Jake chuckled. 

“Alright you two, off you get.” He held out his arms. The boys both jumped at him at the same time, knocking him over into a giggling heap.

Michael just smiled down at the three before Brooke came over with the rest of the pack, which included the boys’ mom, Dustin Kropp, aka his weed dealer (what a small world), and the rest of the pack that Michael didn’t know too well. “Alright Jake, we need to get started. We can’t keep everyone all night, especially since the boys gotta get home soon for bed.” As she said that, she poked Jake’s side with her foot.

“I... can’t get up,” Jake croaked dramatically. “They’re... too strong!” Dustin scooped up Markus and Jasmine scooped up Ollie, and the squirming kids finally decided to relax. 

Jake climbed to his feet, grinning. “Okay, so everyone comfy?” There was a murmur of agreement. “Okay then! First order of business...” Jake’s expression turned surprisingly serious. “There’s been something strange happening around town in the past week. People going missing overnight and turning up a day or two later, no memory of what’s happened. I want you all to be especially careful in the lead up to this month’s moon, yeah?”

Everyone nodded in agreement, especially the two boys. Jasmine made sure to have the boys agree to something with her, closing the deal with making a pinky swear with her.

“Good. We need to all look out for each other, especially with weird stuff like this.” Jake sighed. “Michael, keep an eye on Jenna, too. Give her an update if she doesn’t already know about it.”

“I’ll tell her when I get back to the dorm. She’s just doing homework right now,” Michael assured as he shifted to give Dustin some room to sit beside him.

Jake nodded. “Good. Just... no talking to strangers. We don’t know who or what is causing this and we don’t want anything to happen to any of us.”

“Speaking of strangers, you smell weird, Mikey,” Brooke piped up. As second in command, she was the only one allowed to interrupt these meetings outside of the discussion about the topics.

Michael squirmed a little where he sat. “Well, uh... I met someone and I’m trying to see where things go with him, especially since we’re both interested in each other,” he admitted. One way or another, they’d find out, especially if they went to ask Jenna.

“Oh, nice one!” Brooke cheered and Dustin clapped him on the shoulder. Markus poked his cheek.

“Just be careful. He... the smell on you isn’t like anything I’ve encountered before. He smells... old, from what I’m getting,” Jake warned gently.

Michael didn’t want to possibly squabble, especially since Jake only had the best intentions at heart. So, he nodded and smiled at Jake. “I’ll be careful, don’t worry.”

“He’s more careful than most of us,” Dustin pointed out. “He’s literally had to call you out on stuff around campus sometimes, Jakey.”

“Humans see what they want to,” Jake argued. “And everyone is weird in college. This is... well whoever this guy is, his smell makes me nervous. Sorta. It’s weird.”

“I know what you mean,” Brooke agreed. “The smell is weird but also sorta... enticing? A bit addictive almost.” Michael almost wished he was better with his nose so he could smell this apparently amazing scent Jeremy had.

Dustin, with Michael’s verbal permission, sniffed Michael before letting out a small cheer. “Damn, that’s a good smell. The hairs on the back of my neck are raised. It’s a bit weird, yeah, but it’s real good.”

“Uh... Well, I’ll keep that in mind,” Michael assured Jake as he fiddled with the ends of his sleeves.

So apparently he was wanting to date a walking incense for werewolves. Weird flex, but okay.

“In any case, just be careful. I just don’t want you getting hurt.” Jake sighed. “Anyways, with that addressed, let’s move on.” He launched into the next topic, leaving Michael to just... think.

Jeremy was special, in more ways that he thought. Yes, he had this weird yearning and pull to Jeremy, but he also had this unique smell for werewolves. The mysteries surrounding Jeremy just kept piling up, and Michael wanted to know the answer to every single one. Hopefully, he’d be able to get all of those.

He came back to attention when Dustin jabbed at his side, blinking as he looked at Dustin with a frown. Dustin glanced over to Jake and the others, all of which were sorta staring at him. Crap. “Uh, sorry, I dazed out for a sec. What did I miss?”

“We just asked you if you had everything ready for your solo transformation.” Jake arched an eyebrow. “ _And_ if you wanted to join us this month.”

“You were thinking about your boy, weren’t you?” Jasmine sounded amused and fond. “You’re giving off a... well, not _quite_ mating pheromones. More like bonding ones. You _really_ like him, don’t you?”

Michael could only look down at his lap since it was the only place where someone wouldn’t be staring back at him. “I mean, yeah...” He sighed and leaned back against the adequate cushions of the campus-provided furniture. “I’m ready, and I’m fine, but thank you. Jenna and I already have everything sorted out. Plus, Dustin gave me the stuff I need before the meeting started since I was running low.”

Dustin grinned and clapped him on the shoulder again.

"Well, if you're sure. You know where we'll be if you change your mind." Jake smiled. "And I think that covers everything. Head off whenever you're ready, and take your stuff with you too."

The pack started disbanding, but Michael was stopped by Jasmine. "Can I... talk to you for a sec? About your boy."

Oh geez, the literal mom of the pack was coming to him. “Yeah, sure.” Michael got his backpack on by one strap as he smiled down at Jasmine. “What’s up?”

“Since no one else is bonded, I need to be the one to tell you this. It’s gonna be quite a ride you’re in for.” Jasmine smiled softly. “I can tell you’re already starting to bond with him, so be careful. We have _some_ level of control over it, and I don’t want to see you hurt.” That was just like what Jake said. “It’s an... interesting process. Werewolves bond for life, and it’s going to prompt you to do... strange things. Things you may not understand.”

Michael made sure to check that his school ID was in his pocket so he’d be able to get into his dorm. He needed to fiddle and check because serious talks gave him serious anxiety most of the time. “Uh... Like what?”

"It varies." Jasmine chuckled. "Part of my bonding with Nate... Well, it prompted me to behave strangely. I was... compelled to cut certain people out of my life. I didn't find out until much later that they were actually hunters who were searching for him." She sighed softly, clearly missing her husband. "In any case, the bonding set up is designed to prompt you to help your bonded partner, even if you don't consciously realize it."

He nodded in understanding as he reached out and offered his hand to Jasmine. She smiled and took it, even if there was a lingering sadness in her eyes. “Thank you for letting me know. That means a lot.”

"Of course, sweetie." Jasmine squeezed his hand, shooting him a small smile. "If you're bonding to him already, he must be pretty special. I'd like to meet him some day, if that's alright with you."

“Yeah, of course.” Everything was getting to be a bit much with his emotions in a good way, but that was partially due to the full moon coming up. His emotions ran a bit more rampant around this time of month.

Jasmine squeezed his hand again. "Trust your instincts, Michael, regardless of what anyone else tells you, alright? You will know what needs to be done to look after you and him."

Michael squeezed her hand back. “Alright. Thanks, Jasmine.” 

Before he could say anything else, her boys were leaning all against their mom. They were whiny and hungry and tired. Not a good combo. “Mamaaaa,” both boys whined as Michael smiled. 

“What, not gonna say ‘bye’ to me before I gotta go?”

The two boys came over and hugged Michael, one on each side. "Bye bye, Uncle Mikey,” Ollie murmured, and Markus just sort of nuzzled against him, already seeming to doze off.

Jasmine chuckled and scooped them both up, one in each arm. "Come on you two. Let's get you both home." The boys nuzzled into the crook of Jasmine's neck. "Bye Michael. Take care, sweetheart."

Michael smiled fondly at the little family as he opened the door for them. “Bye guys, see you later.” He waved and waited for them to go before waving to the dorm pack. Once everyone waved him off, Michael left and proceeded to go up the single flight of stairs to get to his dorm with Jenna. 

He had a lot he needed to think over in peace.

  
  



	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey lovelies! This chapter gives us a little taste of what Michael’s life is like as a werewolf. Not only do we get a full moon, we get some fun surprises. Also Jenna. Because our girl is awesome and needs more love. Enjoy!
> 
> And now, a word from my favourite person! :3c
> 
> Hey guys, Ari here!
> 
> So, we get some werewolf Michael time! Let's see what chaos (honestly, there isn't any chaos) and interesting things happen, as well as learn about the typical routine for every full moon that Michael and Jenna follow. :3c Maybe something special happens following today's full moon.

Michael got the full moon nights down to a science at this point. He would transform as soon as the full moon was up in the sky somewhere and the sun was down. So, Michael would have to get high an hour before sunset so the high would really settle in when he’d be transforming. That way, he wouldn’t be in pain. Thank god for Dustin. 

He’d go off campus with Jenna for that since he’d get playful and need to walk. Jenna had a big collar and leash ready for him, and they’d walk around for a bit. Michael didn’t ever remember the last hour or two, but he’d always end up in bed after. Typically with his period, because full moons and having to be in touch with femininity or some bullshit with the moon. And then he’d be out for the next day or two with bad pains. Fun.

Michael had just gotten to his room when he ran into Jenna, who was on her way out. "Oh, hey Mikey. Everything's all set for you, I got everything sorted. Bong and lighter and everything."

God, Jenna was a savior. “Thanks, Jenna.” He gave her a hug before smiling. “After I’m all done, I’m trusting you to drive my car to wherever you have planned for us to be tonight. Do not betray my trust with my baby.” He handed over his keys on his lanyard, which was a weapon in of itself with how many keychains it held.

"As if I ever do." Jenna scoffed. "Don't worry, we're heading to a place just outside of town, dipping back into the outskirts, past your favorite Seven-Eleven then back out." Jenna always gave him a run down about where she planned so he had a chance to veto anything that he didn't like the sound of. He never needed to.

“That sounds like a plan. Let me know when sunset starts, then we can head out,” Michael said before heading to his room. “Love ya, Jenna!”

"Love you too, you nerd." Jenna chuckled, heading to her own room. "Make sure you leave the window open this time!"

“I will, but not too much. Don’t want any of the RAs sniffing me out,” Michael pointed out before shutting himself in his room.

  
  
  


Michael was beyond stoned when he felt the start of the transformation hit him. Jenna poked her head in just as the squirmy feeling came. "Alright hun? We're heading out now, so let's get you to the car. The moon rises in ten minutes."

He nodded as he grabbed his spare change of transforming clothes. When he transformed, he would ruin whatever he was wearing. Thank god for cheap packs of guys shirts and cheap shorts. “Alright. I parked my car close to the dorm building.”

"I know, hun, I found it already." Jenna came over and helped him up. He found that the purple in her hair was  _ very _ pretty, and he couldn't help but poke it. "What you doing, Mikey?" Jenna asked as they started heading out the door, the change of clothes tucked away into Jenna's bag already. Wait, when did she get those from Michael?

“The new purple in your hair is nice,” Michael told her as they started to walk down the hall and outside. Perks of first floor... though the obnoxious drunks were annoying. Wait, hair, right. “I like it more than the pastel pink. It suits you better.”

"Well thank you, Mikey." Jenna giggled. "I like it too. What else do you like?" She always asked him questions like this when he was high, and she giggled a lot too. She must have been very happy to be spending time with him.

“Well, I like you, obviously. And pizza. Oh, and video games. Retro games, skates, and so many other things,” Michael mused as he followed Jenna into his car.

“Tell me more,” Jenna prompted, unlocking the car and getting Michael settled into the back seat. There were already blankets and towels back there; Jenna was so thoughtful.

Michael lied back there, but made sure to buckle himself in. “Uh, well, Apocalypse of the Damned is fun. So is the new Animal Crossing,” he murmured as Jenna got up front. “Oh, yeah, a lot of my Switch games are fun too. I love Fire Emblem: Three Houses. I’m gay as fuck for Dimitri.”

"Mhmm." Jenna hummed as she started Michael's beloved PT Cruiser. "And... what about people?" she asked, pulling out of the space and onto the road. Michael's squirminess got worse.

“Mm, well you. You’re my best friend. Also my moms and the pack,” he murmured as he curled up a bit up into himself. “Uh... Oh! Jeremy’s also nice.” He was. 

Somehow, he found him. There was some magic reason they were able to find each other again. Did the spell work? It must have. Brooke had worked so hard on it. 

Wait, no, Brooke was a werewolf. He must’ve been thinking about some dream or something. Mm. He had a nice dream about Jeremy recently. He and Jenna and him were hanging in the dorm and they were eating Papa John’s. Mm.

"You wanna spend time with your boo, do you?" Jenna cooed, not looking back because she was driving Michael's baby and she was taking good care of the car. And of Michael. She always took good care of him. "Aww, thanks hun."

“Huh? I don’t have a boo,” Michael murmured as he looked up at Jenna. “I wanna have a boyfriend, and you’re m’best friend. I want us all to have pizza together.”

“Well it sounds like you’ll get a boyfriend soon enough,” Jenna assured him. “And if he likes pizza, we can have pizza together.” She turned around a big bend in the road. “Seatbelt off, Mikey. Almost time.”

“Mm, alright,” Michael murmured as he reached up before managing to undo his seatbelt. He slowly sat up as Jenna handed him over his shifting clothes. “Thanks.” He managed to pull his shirt off and shorts before changing into the plain white tee and- heh, that was the name of a band. The Plain White Tees.

“You comfy back there, Mikey?” Jenna asked. “The moon will be up in two minutes. And we have five minutes until we get to the place to play.”

“Very comfy. You made it super comfy back here,” Michael said with a hum as he flopped down, tossing his clothes up front to the passengers seat. “You’re so good to me. You’re a great best friend. Thank you sooo much!”

"I love you too, Mikey. Now hold on. I can see the halo." 

That's when the pain started. Michael didn't scream, not like the first time, but he was in a lot of pain.

Michael did writhe a bit in pain, whimpering and whining. He knew this would be a lot worse if he hadn't gotten stoned out of his mind, but still, it was fucking bad.

After however long of this and hearing the tearing of his clothes, Michael felt so much better. He shook out his fur before flopping down on the back seat of his car.

"Hey bud," Jenna called. "Not long now, then we can have a good cuddle and you can stretch out your legs, okay?"

Michael let out a soft growl as he nuzzled his head against his seat. That would be nice. He knew that, as soon as she opened the car door, he'd get the scent of nature and want to go run around a bit. He always got crazy energy after transforming now.

Jake said it was normal, especially since he wasn't a massively active person normally. He needed to get his energy out.

It wasn't long before the car rolled to a stop and Jenna turned around to smile at him. "Heya Mikey." She gave him a scratch behind the ears. "You looking especially handsome and cute tonight."

He couldn't help but thump his leg a bit since she was scratching his favorite spot. Michael grinned as he leaned into her touch, though whimpered when she pulled her hand back.

"I'm just stopping so I can come around and give you proper cuddles,” she teased. "I gotta get my fix too, y'know." In an instant, she was out of the driver's seat and sliding into the back, cuddling Michael. She smelled happy and relaxed, as she often did on full moon days.

Michael nudged at his back seat before Jenna realized what he meant. The good thing about the Cruiser was that you could push the back seats forward and have a  _ lot _ of room to lie and do stuff. Like cuddle.

"Good idea!" She quickly did it, then pulled Michael close. She buried her face against his neck, nuzzling there while rubbing her hands up and down his sides, scratching at all his favorite cuddle spots.

He made sure to nuzzle against her head, huffing happily as his tail wagged to and fro. This was much better- oh, and she was playing his Cavetown CD. Perfect.

They stayed like this for a while, just cuddling. Michael enjoyed being loved and Jenna getting the awesome benefits of cuddling a friendly dog. It was a win-win situation.

"You ready to go play now?" Jenna murmured after a while.

Michael growled softly before nuzzling his head against hers. He needed to get his energy now that he was zenned and calmed after morphing.

"Okay, ready?" Jenna sat up and grasped onto the door handle, getting out of Michael's way. He tensed up, ready to shoot off. Jenna threw the door open. "Go!"

Out he bolted, running around in the clearing a bit. He ran in circles and in zig-zags, growling and barking happily as he went. Ah, the wind going through his fur and being able to get this energy out felt amazing!

Michael kept running around and around the clearing until Jenna called him. She was holding the rope toy which he had picked out (it was embarrassing, but _ so _ fun). "Catch!" She threw the rope as far as she could, sending it so it would fly over Michael's head.

And after it he bolted, panting happily as he found it. Hell yeah! After picking it up and waving his head around, Michael ran back to where Jenna was.

Jenna grabbed the end of the rope and started tugging, getting low and trying tug it away from Michael. Michael fought back without really pulling too hard. He didn't want to hurt Jenna or strain her arms like the first time they played.

He eventually let Jenna win, huffing out the closest thing that he could to a laugh for a werewolf when she stumbled back. She gave him a look, and tossed the toy- Wait, he didn't see where it landed. He turned back to glare at her as she laughed while still holding the rope toy.

After waving it around a bit, she held it out so they could tug at it again. For a moment, it was an intense battle and then Michael won! He danced back, shaking his prize in victory as Jenna laughed happily.

As she laughed, he tossed and caught the toy rope a few times before it eventually hit him in the face. He sneezed on the toy before gently nudging it over to Jenna for her to throw again.

Jenna picked it up, catching his attention by wiggling it slowly. Then she tossed it far away and Michael shot after it.

They did this for a while longer before Michael found himself played out. Now he was hungry and wanted to walk to get food somewhere. He dropped his rope toy in front of Jenna before whining softly and nudging her side.

"I hear you, bud. Lemme get the collar out, then we can go." It was just for show but if he could, Michael would be blushing with embarrassment. He didn't like wearing the collar, it was weird. Still, Jenna had chosen a soft one, and it had a videogame heart motif, so it wasn't all bad.

Didn't mean it wasn't embarrassing though. Michael just whined again as Jenna kneeled down beside him, gently putting the collar on. He pawed at it to show his secret hate for the thing before huffing.

"I know, I know. But it's not like anyone knows it's you. Or that it actually restricts you either," Jenna offered, standing up and taking the end of the leash. It was an extendable one, so if Michael wanted to go sniff at something, he was able to. "Ready? I'll make sure to get you a hotdog from Seven-Eleven if there's time."

Michael scrunched up his nose at the pun. Jenna knew he hated their hotdogs too. If anything, she'd get him a few slices of pizza. Mm. Greasy pizza.

He was brought out of his thoughts when Jenna gently flicked his head. Whimpering at Jenna with the pained 'puppy eyes,' Michael started walking.

Jenna snorted and promptly looked away. Michael knew that she couldn't stand against his puppy eyes in wolf form or in human form. He was just too good.

After a moment, she patted his head. "You know I was only joking, right? It's pizza for you for sure. And a slushie for me because no way I'm turning down the deal."

Michael nuzzled his head against her hand to show that he understood. He liked messing with her when it was in good fun. He even licked her hand, which was rare since he didn't like giving licks as a werewolf. The whole feeling against his tongue normally sent shivers down his spine.

"Aww, you're sweet," Jenna cooed, not a trace of irony or mocking in her voice. "Yeah, I love you too, bud."

They walked together for a while, passing a few people (who all gave Michael a shocked look), before the neon glow of Seven-Eleven appeared. Michael was ready to shoot off to the post he would always be 'tied' to when Jenna went in, but something caught his interest. A sweet, old sort of smell. Like honey mixed with the comforting scent of old books mixed with something just  _ amazing _ . He had to find out where it was coming from.

Before Jenna could let go of his leash, he veered off the normal direction and whimpered as he pointed in the new direction, the one with that amazing smell. Jenna was obviously confused, but Michael whimpered as he pawed in place as he kept pointing with his nose in the direction.

"Okay, okay, we can go that way."

Less than a minute later, Michael's bench came into view, and so did Jeremy. He waved at Jenna in a friendly way as he took a slurp from his slushie. Was _ he _ the amazing smell?

"Hey! Nice to meet you." He grinned. "Hey Michael, I was wondering if you'd show up tonight. I would have thought you'd be with your pack."

Jeremy was here and knew it was him! He was so much cooler than Michael thought. After barking happily, he hurried over and nuzzled his head against Jeremy's leg. It was so great to see him!

"Um, sorry, what did you say?" Jenna asked in slight shock from where she stood. "Also, who are you?"

Jeremy put down his slushie and started scrubbing at Michael's ears happily. "Oh, hi. I'm Jeremy." He shot Jenna a charming smile. "I was just saying I was surprised to see Michael out tonight, what with it being the full moon and everything." Jeremy rubbed their noses together before kissing the top of his muzzle. "Oh, you're so handsome, even as a wolf."

Geez, Jeremy was complimenting him, even as a wolf! So if they dated, he was totally cool with him being a werewolf. Sweet! He growled happily before licking Jeremy's face. 

Jenna was quiet from where she stood, seemingly trying to think something over. "You're the guy Mikey wants to go out with, right?"

Jeremy giggled. "I mean, I hope so. I certainly want to go out with him." He didn't seem bothered at all about the whole licking thing and, for once, neither was Michael. He kept rubbing in all the right places to make Michael melt. Yeah, it was official: he would be a great boyfriend.

"Well, he definitely wants to go out with you," Jenna murmured as Michael happily barked before nuzzling against Jeremy. He wanted to get closer. Jeremy seemed to be fine with close contact, but he needed to be sure before he could just lie across Jeremy's lap.

Giggling again, Jeremy nodded. "Yeah, come on up. Just watch my slushie, I need it to survive,” he joked. When Michael hopped up, Jeremy looked up at Jenna. "I guess you're here 'cause he's hungry, right? Well... I can 'watch' him-" He put air quotes around the word. "-while you get what you were after."

Jenna looked them both over for a good few seconds before sighing. "Alright." She hesitated before handing his leash over. Why would she hesitate? Jeremy was great! "I'll be back in a few. Mikey, don't run off."

Michael huffed at that before he rested his head on Jeremy's shoulder. No way would he be leaving Jeremy right now!

"We'll be here," Jeremy almost sang, nuzzling his head against Michael's. "Oh you're so soft, Mikey. Must be because you take such good care of yourself normally." He nodded. Then he took a deep breath. "Oh... Well alright, I guess that makes sense." He hummed to himself, still giving Michael lots of cuddles and love.

Michael just stayed close to Jeremy, practically melting against his loving touches and words. His tail never stopped wagging as he stayed content where he was.

He only shifted when Jeremy's hands stilled for a millisecond. Lifting his head up, Michael glanced over to see Jenna there with a few slices of pizza. Surely his eyes lit up as he growled softly, asking as politely as he could for the slices. He was starving.

Jenna arched an eyebrow before setting the pizza on the bench next to Jeremy. Michael hopped down and started eating, leaning against Jeremy's legs still. Jeremy kept stroking him along the length of his back.

"Pizza is a good choice really. But if you can get a hold of some fish, like salmon, and red meats, that's the best thing for him." Jeremy chuckled. "He burns off a lot of energy when he's changing, which is why he's so hungry."

"I try to tell him that red meats and stuff are good for this time, but he doesn't listen. He's really picky, even if it isn't his fault," Jenna said, and Michael whined. Why'd she have to call him out? "I'm just being honest, Mikey."

"Yeah, autism can have that effect." Jeremy nodded understandingly. "Still, fish might be an option. I know he likes sushi, after all."

"Yeah, I'll talk with him about that later when he can actually talk." Michael huffed at that after finishing one slice before moving on to the next.

"Well at least he knows now, so he can think about it." Jeremy scratched behind Michael's ears fondly. "So, why  _ is _ he here instead of with a pack?" Jeremy quickly elaborated. "No offence to you intended at all, it's just that it's so rare to meet a wolf who  _ isn't _ part of a pack, especially one turned as recently as Michael was."

Jenna shifted a bit on her feet, and Michael looked at her to answer. He'd tell Jeremy, but he couldn't right now. 

She seemed to notice that and sighed. "He was turned on accident. Saliva in a paper cut. He didn't officially join the pack, but he's still a member in an honorary way. He likes being with me during the full moons.

Jeremy looked shocked, but he nodded slowly after a moment. "Makes sense. You're Jenna, right? His best friend?" Jenna nodded. "Well, wolves join packs for a sense of family as well as for safety. He probably doesn't need to join because he gets the same feelings from being around you."

"Well, we've been roommates since our freshman year, so that makes sense," she murmured as Michael finished his last slice... He was still hungry. Great.

Jeremy noticed that he was done and picked up the trash. "That wasn't enough, was it?" he asked softly. Michael whined in agreement. "Okay, wait here for just a minute. I'll be right back." He stood and jogged off. It was weird, though, because one second Michael could smell him, the next he could only get the faint whiff of the fact he _ was _ there.

Jenna sat down on the bench, not where Jeremy had been, and looked at where Jeremy had gone off. She reached over and pet Michael's head, which helped him to relax because Jeremy suddenly vanished! "Hey, it's alright, Mikey. He'll be back in a minute..."

Sure enough, Jeremy appeared a couple of minutes later, carrying a plastic bag which had  _ delicious _ smells coming from it. "Hey, you guys waited!" He grinned. "I brought snacks for you both." He held up the bag.

"Mikey would've killed me if I tried getting us to leave," Jenna joked, though it was also a little bit true. "You didn't have to get stuff for both of us, but thank you."

"Well I couldn't just leave you out." Jeremy shrugged, sitting back in his spot and stroking Michael's head. He pulled out a plastic tub of cooked chicken breasts as well as a selection of snack foods which he put aside for Jenna. "Here you go, Mikey. A compromise. It's not red meat, but it should still fill you up a bit."

Michael was so happy. Jeremy was so considerate! Once Jeremy put the tub down with the lid off, he dug in with gusto. Mm, so good!

"Still, thank you. You didn't have to get me something," Jenna said as Michael felt her scratch behind his ear.

"Well, I don't wanna just feed him and leave you high and dry. Take your pick." Jeremy held out the bag full of snacks for Jenna. "I didn't know what you like, so I just grabbed a bunch of stuff."

"Oh, good choices. Where did you even go to get this stuff?" Jenna asked as Michael watched her pick out a bag of gummy worms and a small thing of bagged cookies.

"I don't live too far from here." He shrugged. "I just grabbed what I could find."

"Well damn, you stock up on a lot of good snacks," Jenna concluded before opening and eating some of the Famous Amos cookies. Euck, those were hard as rocks half the time and crunchy the rest.

"I've got a large family who... well, let's just say we have a lot of people coming through most nights." Jeremy smelled uncomfortable and a little disgusted. It was a little worrying to Michael.

Michael reached over, taking a break from his chicken, before nuzzling his head against Jeremy's leg. He whimpered softly because he didn't want Jeremy to feel bad. He didn't deserve to feel that way!

Jeremy blinked in shock before smiling and reaching down to stroke Michael. "I'm okay," he promised. "I just don't agree with most of my family's choices."

"Well that sorta sucks. Is there any way you can get away from them?" Jenna asked before chewing on some more cookies. Even if she seemed nonchalant, the fact that she was asking and not looking at her phone meant a lot.

"Not really." Jeremy shifted a little. "It's a bit of an... awkward situation. The head of my family... he's a little strict. I get  _ some _ freedoms so long as I stick to the rules. Or find loopholes. That's one of the reasons I'm here most nights." He sort of gestured to his half melted slushie before taking a drink.

Jenna hummed in thought before finishing off the bag of gross cookies. "Alright, good to know." She glanced at her phone, pulling it out to presumably check the time. "Well, we can stick around for a bit longer, so you can finish eating, Mikey. We have to walk around a bit more after before heading back to his car."

"I should really head off soon as well." Jeremy sighed. "I'm on babysitting duty tonight."

"Oh?" Jenna asked as Michael got back to eating his chicken. Mm, so good. "Babysitting so late into the night?"

"We don't get much sleep. I'm not a morning person. It works out, sorta." Jeremy shot Jenna a weary smile.

"Mm, alright. Well, I wish you luck with whatever terrors come your way." She started to pet along Michael's neck, softly twirling some fur and scratching in some other places. God, it felt heavenly.

"More than you could ever realize." Jeremy sighed, standing up. He offered his hand to Jenna. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Jenna. Michael really speaks highly of you, so it was nice to put a face to the name."

Jenna seemed a bit surprised as she took Jeremy's hand. "It's nice to meet you too, Jeremy. Same goes to you with all that. Also, he totally wants to date you." If Michael hadn't just finished his chicken, he surely would've choked on it. "Hopefully we'll be able to meet up again soon."

"Well I'm here most nights except Sundays." Jeremy grinned. "I'll see you around." He crouched down next to Michael. "And don't worry. I'm not going without saying goodbye to you too, Mikey." He started scratching Michael's ears.

Michael growled happily as he leaned into Jeremy's scratches. He went as far as to nuzzle against and lick his hand, even if it was a little bit icky to do as he whimpered. He didn't want Jeremy to go, even if he had to.

"Yeah, I don't wanna go either." He chuckled sadly. "Spending time with you is the highlight of my day." Jeremy pressed their noses together and kissed the top of Michael's muzzle again.

Michael rubbed his face against Jeremy's as he whimpered and whined before resting his head on Jeremy's shoulder.

Jeremy hugged him close before doing something strange. He tilted his head back, exposing his neck. Michael felt compelled to sniff at it (It smelled so good, just pure Jeremy smell!) before giving him a small, reassuring lick there and pulling back. Jeremy grinned and stroked Michael's head. "Thank you."

He leaned into Jeremy's pets, growling happily. Michael was glad that his lick was able to make Jeremy so happy because he really smelled happier!

"We can talk when you're feeling better, yeah? Maybe try some valerian root tea tomorrow. It'll help with the cramps," he suggested, giving Michael one more kiss to the top of his muzzle before standing up.

Michael whimpered and whined, nuzzling against Jeremy's leg until he stood out of his range. Jenna was holding him back on that extendable leash. Why was she doing that? He wanted to go with Jeremy!

"No, Mikey, you gotta get home,” he murmured, stroking Michael's head softly. "We'll see each other in a couple of days. Promise. As soon as your cramps are better, I'll be right here waiting."

But he wanted to stay with Jeremy! Michael whined as Jenna held him back and pet him. Even her pets couldn't help because his bonded was leaving! He couldn't let him leave right now.

"See you soon, love." Jeremy shot Michael a sad smile, because Michael could smell he was sad about leaving too, and headed off. A moment later, Michael could only smell a faint trace of Jeremy's scent.

Oh god, now he was super sad. Michael whimpered and whined as he rested most of himself against Jenna. He needed comfort, Jeremy was gone! His bonded! He had _ just _ bonded with Jeremy.

Jenna stroked him gently, even going so far as to kneel down next to him to hug him. "Hey, it's okay, Mikey. He'll be here again. He promised and he seems to really adore you."

Still, he was gone. Michael rested his head on her shoulder as he whimpered. He missed him so much. He didn't know he could miss something or someone this much until now.

"It's okay buddy. C'mon. Let's head back to the car. You can curl up with the blankets and-" She cut herself off when she looked over to the bench. "Oh. He left his cardigan."

Instantly, Michael looked over. He went over and sniffed the green inside of the cardigan before nuzzling against it. Yup, it smelled just like Jeremy! 

"Well, I'll grab that and the container and snacks he left, then we can head back to the car, yeah?" Jenna offered, and Michael sneezed and nodded. He'd be able to curl up with Jeremy's cardigan and smell it. It smelled almost as good as Jeremy, probably because he wore it all the time. It made him feel so much better.

Jenna chuckled at his enthusiasm as she got to cleaning up. Everything except the cardigan was put into the bag. The piece of clothing Jenna held herself, in the same hand as the leash, which meant Michael just had to walk next to her to nuzzle against it. She was so good to him.

Michael happily walked back with Jenna, nuzzling against the cardigan a few times until they made it to his car. Jenna popped the trunk for him, and he hopped right in. She was nice enough to lie the cardigan flat out against the back. Michael was sure to flop down against it, making sure his head rested against the fabric as he shut his eyes.

From there it was easy to drift off. Being surrounded by his Bonded's scent was just so relaxing and he couldn't help but fall asleep. When they got back home, Michael only woke up long enough to crawl into bed, cardigan draped around him like a blanket, before falling asleep for the rest of the night.

  
  
  


There was more than something up with Jeremy. If she hadn't been exposed to werewolves a year before, Jenna would have flipped her shit with meeting Jeremy. But she had been exposed, so she only freaked out internally.

She wasn't going to let Michael know that, as she gave him his heating pad as he whined in bed. "Sorry Mikey."

"'S not your fault," he hissed as he curled up in bed. "I just wish this month wasn't a painful month. The past three have been. I'm gonna be dead from cramp pains before I graduate, Jenna."

"No you won't. I'm not letting you die on me." Jenna huffed, considering things. "Here. Put this on." She held up Jeremy's cardigan. The soft, blue cardigan seemed to really relax Michael when he was a wolf, so it might help now. 

Jeremy might have set off  _ so _ many internal alarms, but he did seem to care for Michael. So she doubted he'd mind Michael using the cardigan as a comfort thing now.

Michael lit up as he took the cardigan before putting it on. Jeremy seemed to have gotten a really big cardigan because it fit Michael comfortably. "Mm, this smells like Jeremy," he murmured as he flopped back down in bed, the heating pad over his abdomen. "It looks like his too." Wait, did he not remember them getting it last night?

"It  _ is _ his, Mikey," Jenna reminded him gently. "He left it after we talked last night. I think it might have been on purpose too."

It looked like Michael was really thinking about that before frowning. "I remember seeing him and the fact that he pet me and gave me food, but not much else. Also eating a lot of greasy pizza slices."

It wasn't unusual for Michael's memories to be fuzzy (heh) after a full moon, so Jenna wasn't worried. "Well he seems nice anyways. And he knew all about you, even doing this weird thing of, like, exposing his neck for you or something. I didn't get it, but it made you both happy, so..." She shrugged.

Michael hummed, probably thinking it all over, before whining and curling up around his heating pad. "I dunno, that sounds weird and like something I'd need to ask Jake or Brooke about," he whimpered out. "Ow."

"We can ask them later." Jenna nodded before checking the time. It was getting late. Luckily, this full moon had been Friday, so Michael had been able to sleep through all of Saturday and not gotten the worst of his cramps. "Speaking of, I need to head out. You want me to get you a slushie?"

"Please. And some chocolate," Michael almost begged before whimpering and tugging his comforter over himself. "And whatever else to make this demonic pain cease."

"I'll see what I can find." Jenna nodded before leaving the room. She had some stops to make, including one to speak to one mysterious potential boyfriend of her best friend.

  
  
  


After getting most of the stops, she ended it outside of Seven-Eleven. She didn't know how long she'd be talking to Jeremy for (if he was here), so she'd get all the snacks and such after.

Getting out of Michael's car with her mini backpack and locking the Cruiser, she headed over to the bench. Lo and behold, there he was, sitting on the bench while drinking a red Slurpee, just like last night. "Yo."

Jeremy looked up, not really seeming that surprised. "Hey Jenna. How's Mikey dealing with the cramps?"

"He's dealing. I went out to get some of that tea you recommended last night, but he hates hot drinks, so I don't know how he'll take to it," she said before glancing at the free space on the bench. "Mind if I sit and chat with you for a little bit?"

Jeremy patted the bench. "Go for it. I do love company."

Jenna sat before looking over at Jeremy. "So, I'd normally go for some roundabout way to get what I want to know, but I can read you and tell that it won't work. Plus, Mikey needs me back soon with chocolate, a Slurpee, and pain killers which barely work, so I'm gonna run through some questions to understand you. Is that fair?"

Jeremy took a scarily long slurp of his slushie. “Hit me with your best shot.” He seemed calm and relaxed, but there was a sort of edge in his eyes, as well as almost a look of relief.

"So, I'll rapid fire questions for you to think on and then answer," Jenna explained as she took out her little notebook. It was bedazzled mildly and had her name across the front. "You can only come here at night and always get only a red Slurpee? Also, you understood everything about Michael, knowing who he was, even if he had never told you anything about his other side. How did you know?"

“Yes, I only come here at night. Personal choice really.” Jeremy hummed. “I burn easily. And yes, blue is my preference, but red suits me best. As for Michael... well, isn’t it obvious? He smells like dog.” Jeremy sort of smiled at that, eyes going soft and fond. Well he wasn’t faking his attraction in any case, that was certain.

"Why does red suit you best? Also, it is not obvious. He may have a lingering dog smell sometimes, but most, if not all, people would think it's presumably because he hangs around dogs all the time," Jenna countered as she scribbled some things down.

Jeremy’s grin was unsettling now, his eyes almost too blue and his teeth a little too sharp. “How do you think?”

Jenna had to take a deep breath in order to keep her cool. Yeah, what he was doing was just confirming her theory... Was he doing that on purpose? "Because you're one too. Not a werewolf. You're a vampire, aren't you?"

In an instant, everything unsettling about Jeremy dropped away and he sagged where he was sitting. After taking a deep breath, he drank some slushie, nodding. “Thank god you figured it out. I was worried I’d have to do the whole Twilight thing with ‘say it.’ Ugh.” He shot Jenna a sheepish smile. “Sorry about that. I couldn’t tell you directly, literally can’t say the words aloud until  _ after _ you’ve confirmed it.”

"You know, you could have done that without all the creepy motifs. I had it mostly figured out last night. I was just gonna ask some questions and then write down the word 'vampire' before having you check it or cross it out," Jenna said as she raised a brow at Jeremy and crossed his arms over her chest.

Jeremy shrugged helplessly. “I don’t have a lot of experience trying to tell someone  _ without _ using the word, okay? The last person even  _ wanted _ to tell was over a hundred and fifty years ago, and I didn’t have the restrictions on!”

"Still." She sighed as she put her little notebook away. "So, I know this seems a bit redundant, especially since I can tell how strongly you feel for each other after last night, but... You're not gonna get Michael into any danger, right?"

“I’m old enough to have a better handle on myself than that.” Jeremy nodded. “The only danger comes from my-... family.” It was clear he struggled with the word. “And I’d kill them if the so much as looked at him wrong.”

"Are they really your family or just your coven that you're forced to be with for all of eternity?"

“The second one.” Jeremy seemed relieved that Jenna got it. “Even if I  _ am _ fond of most of them. They’re too far into the thrall for me to really consider them family...”

Jenna nodded before thinking. "... Are they the reason why people have gone missing and suddenly reappeared later on with no memory of what happened when they were missing?"

“Bingo.” He sighed heavily. “That’s why I’m here most nights. To get away from that. And for these, of course.” He held up his slushie before taking a deep drink.

"Let me guess: drinking the red Slurpee keeps your need for blood down or something? You said the red Slurpee was the one that 'suited you the best.'"

“You are one smart dame, ya know that?” Jeremy’s accent slipped a little, reminding Jenna of the old time-y New Yorkers in movies. He didn’t seem to notice. “Yeah, these things keep me breathing longer. S’why we drink: to breathe. We can’t make our own blood. And we still need to breathe, sorta.”

"And the carbonated slushies of Seven-Eleven do that for you... Weird." Jenna looked Jeremy over for a second before leaning back a bit against the bench back. "How old are you? Old enough to talk like an old school New Yorker, at least."

“Oh, I’m much older than that, doll.” Jeremy grinned, but it had a weary edge to it. “I sorta stopped keeping exact count after the two-fifty mark, but I’d say I’m about four-fifty now. Got turned when I was leaving a Shakespeare play. One of the first in London, around fifteen-ninety something.”

"So... You were totally lying about your age to my best friend. Rude, old man," she teased before glancing down at her phone. It buzzed and showed a text from Michael, asking about the chocolate situation.

“No, I said ‘twenty-three years of living.’ That wasn’t a lie in the slightest, considering I’m technically dead.”

"Well alright, Mister WordSmith." Jenna quickly shot Michael a reply about how she was stopping to get it soon. "Didn't know that, Michael just said that you were twenty-three. He probably thought you were trying to be cooky or zany or whatever about it when you said it like that."

“To be fair, I am both.” Jeremy took another slurp. “I’ve been dropping hints as often as I can for him, but his autism means he just looks straight past them. And I can’t get you to tell him because I’m under orders. If someone finds out about me, then tells someone else... It’s not good. I’d have to do something really, really bad.”

"I'm guessing that means you'd have to kill me or something worse than just killing me," Jenna theorized out loud, not even needing confirmation. "Well, I'd say you need to be as blunt with your hints as possible. He has a hard time picking up on things unless you're direct, which is sorta an issue with your whole situation." She then stood and stretched her arms above her head. "Speaking of Michael, he texted me. He wants chocolate ASAP and his Slurpee, so I need to get going so he doesn't suffer for too long."

Jeremy sighed softly, a fond look coming onto his features. Then he started, and reached into his pocket. “Oh yeah, I have something for him.” He pulled out a bottle of pills, labeled ‘all natural.’ “I found these things a couple of years ago and I always keep a stock in case I encounter werewolves. They work really well ‘cause they have a tiny bit of wolfsbane in them. Just enough to make the medicine actually work.”

Jenna took the bottle, looking it over with a raised brow before glancing up at Jeremy. "What exactly is this supposed to do?"

“Oh, they’re pain killers.” Jeremy pointed out a label on the side. “Werewolf biology burns off the medicine before it can work properly since they run so hot all the time. The wolfsbane helps lower their temperature to a more normal level so the medicine can help.” He shrugged. “I knew his period was coming, and I remember how much hell I went through with them, so I figured I’d help if I could.”

Oh. Yeah, that would be so useful. Michael went through hell now with periods since he couldn't take anything to help with the pain. Well, until now. "Because you could smell it coming?"

“Yup.” Jeremy nodded. “Also you might want to get your iron levels checked. You’re a little deficient.” He shot her a cheeky wink before hesitating. “It... would be... I shouldn’t really come over, should I?” It sounded like a statement, begrudging but resigned.

"I don't think it would be a good idea for you to come while Michael's bleeding so much. Maybe tomorrow... Or Monday. He only has day classes and will probably be out for the count after, so he'd have me do a Seven-Eleven run for him," she said as she pocketed her phone and the pill bottle. "Probably Monday. It'll be a nice surprise for him."

He went to nod before he stiffened, shivering as if someone doused him in ice water. Jeremy’s hand shot out and he took her phone from her pocket with ridiculous speed. Seconds later, it was unlocked and he was typing in something before shoving it back in her hands.

“There’s my number, text me. I gotta go. He’s calling and I gotta get home right now. The kid got out. Bye Jenna!” With that, Jeremy was gone in a blink of the eye.

Now that Jenna knew the context of who the 'kid' probably was, she didn't want to stay out any longer. She quickly ran in to Seven-Eleven, was out in under five minutes, and drove like hell back to the dorm. If she went a bit too much over the speed limit, well, no cops caught her and Michael didn't know, so she was fine.

  
  



	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey lovelies! This chapter is a soft one. Now we know that Jeremy is a vampire, and an old one at that, it’s about time Michael gets to learn some more about his boyfriend, right? Enjoy!
> 
> And now a word from my favourite person! :3c
> 
> Hey guys, Ari here!
> 
> This is a sweet chapter. It's sweet and Michael finally learns things, but we don't blame him for not getting it. It's just a good time that we all need right now. <333

After getting his homework done, Michael crashed Monday. Well, mostly. He crashed in every sense but could not fall asleep. His brain was too wired from having hours of classes with fifteen minutes of breaks in between. Add the lingering cramps and Michael was in hell.

He was just finishing up reading an article that popped up in his Google feed when he went to search up Mickey and Minnie's wedding cartoon. In hindsight, YouTube would have been a better app to search on.

There had been, seemingly, a double homicide recently. Over the weekend, actually. One body seemed to have been perfectly preserved, though assumed dead for two months. That preserved body had been decapitated and the suspect, who they had no clue on who it was according to the article, was still on the loose. 

Oof. That was enough of the news for today.

Michael had just set down his phone when there was a knock at the ‘front door’ of the dorm. That was weird, had Jenna forgotten her keys again? Who else could be visiting at this hour?

Grumbling as he managed to crawl out of bed, Michael wrapped himself up in one of his many blankets as he trudged over to the door. "Jenna, I know you just left, but you couldn't have forgotten your keycard. I yelled at you to take it this time," he said as he trudged to the front door and opened it.

It wasn’t Jenna outside the door. It was Jeremy. He looked sort of sheepish. “Er, hi. Jenna let me in but forgot to give me her keys to actually come in and surprise you... so... surprise?”

Michael was still fucking surprised, holy shit. He stumbled back for a second before gesturing inside. "Well, uh, welcome. You totally surprised me, though I'm not gonna be fun to be with or talk with right now. 'M in lots of pain right now."

“That’s why I’m here. I wanted to take care of you.” Jeremy held up the backpack he was holding. “Brought everything I thought could help.” He peered inside, flailing his hands towards the door a little. “So, er, do I have permission to enter your domain, my good sir?” Oh god, he was so sweet and dorky. Even if he was in pain, Michael still giggled at Jeremy‘s behavior.

"Yeah, of course." Jeremy looked a bit relieved before he walked in. "Sorry if my room's a mess. I've just been suffering and haven't had time to clean. The common area's fine, Jenna's been there and actually living as people should."

Jeremy got a little tense at that for a split second before nodding. “Yeah that’s fine. I can handle a bit of a mess.” He followed after Michael, looking around with appreciation. “So, did Jenna give you the pills to help with your cramps?”

"Yeah, I don't know what the hell's in them, but they've been helping so much. None of my other meds have worked that well in, like, a year." Michael practically waddled into his room, though Jeremy clearly wasn't judging him. It made him feel a bit better.

Jeremy did stop at the door to Michael’s room, posture tense with his eyes darting around to the small stacks of stuff around. He relaxed after a moment and followed Michael in, sitting by the bed.

"Sorry about the mess," Michael said as he managed to climb up onto his bed. He patted the free space on the bed as he relaxed as best he could. "I'm cleaning it all up after I feel better and can be a functioning being again."

“It’s fine, Mikey,” Jeremy assured him. “It’s not so bad.” He climbed into the bed, setting his bag aside, and lying next to Michael when prompted, holding out his arms. “Would it be presumptuous to ask for a cuddle?”

"It would help me so much if we could cuddle," Michael said before flopping against Jeremy and relaxing. Ah, he was so comfortable. He had a cold hug that helped cool him down.

Jeremy relaxed too, and curled around Michael with a happy sigh. “You’re so warm...” he murmured, rubbing one hand up and down Michael’s back and the other one reaching up to play with his hair. Oh, that felt so nice. “I think I’ve just found my favorite thing to do.”

Michael smiled as Jeremy scratched along his scalp. Oof. So damn good. "Mm, that's good 'cause this feels really good," he murmured as he melted in Jeremy's hold.

Something about being so close to Jeremy satisfied Michael in a way nothing else had. He couldn’t explain it, but it was almost like he had been  _ looking _ for exactly this for the whole weekend. “I’m glad. And when you get bored, I’ve got some vintage eighties tv shows and movies saved on my laptop, as well as plenty of chocolate and other things to help you feel better.”

"You're so nice and good to me. I only just mentioned that I liked eighties stuff and you saved eighties shows? Rad." Michael nuzzled against Jeremy before he remembered something. "Oh! Also, I, uh, have your cardigan..." Which he had gotten when he was a werewolf.

Jeremy had seen him as a werewolf and recognized him. Just by sight.

“Yeah, I can tell.” Jeremy nuzzled against Michael, humming softly. “Did it help at all?”

"Yeah, it helped," Michael murmured as he reached up to gently hold onto Jeremy's side. For some reason, it felt right to do that. "Thanks for that." Did he want to ask Jeremy about werewolf stuff right now and how he knew so much?

"I'm just happy I could do something to help." His eyes were shut in contentment, but Michael could tell Jeremy wasn't anywhere near sleep right now. He took a slow, relaxed breath, then half opened his eyes to look at Michael. "What's up? You're nervous about something, and I can tell it's not about hugging me." Well, that answered  _ when _ he should ask.

“Well, uh... How did you know that I was a werewolf on Friday night? I haven’t told you anything about it but you just... knew.”

Jeremy quirked an eyebrow and smiled. “Well I could tell it was you. Your eyes stay the same, as well as a bunch of other things.” He got comfier. “Plus, I can just... well I knew you were a wolf from the moment I met you. You learn to recognize it in people.” It was clear he wanted to say more, but didn’t for some reason. Michael could tell that the fact he didn’t say more was bothering him somewhat.

Michael thought what Jeremy was verbally and nonverbally saying to him over for a minute. “So you know about werewolves. You’ve been experiencing them for a while...” He tried to think more on it, but no, Jeremy obviously wasn’t a werewolf. Was he... “Are you some mythical creature too?”

“Yes,” Jeremy murmured, eyes closing. Michael could tell he was getting nervous and that he very clearly wanted to say more. Something seemed to be stopping him.

Jeremy couldn’t say it, so Michael had to figure it out. He thought a bit on their interactions before some things, particularly those that happened today, clicked. 

Michael looked at Jeremy with wide eyes, even if Jeremy’s eyes were shut. “Are you a vampire?”

Jeremy’s nod was tense, but he didn’t back away. Michael was certain he wasn’t breathing at all. He looked nervous still, almost scared.

Why was he nervous? Were werewolves and vampires not supposed to get along, like in literature? Was he scared of rejection?

Michael shifted his hand that rested on Jeremy’s side to wrap more so around him. “Well, I’m sorry it took me a while to get it. You’ve been trying to tell me for a while, haven’t you? With subtle hints and junk?”

Jeremy relaxed somewhat but still seemed nervous. “Yeah, I have. I... I can’t say it. I literally can’t say the words out loud to someone who doesn’t know. I... I wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t.”

“Alright, that makes sense.” With his other hand, Michael reached up and took Jeremy’s hand in his own. “Thank you for telling me as best as you could. A lot of things make more sense now.” He thought for a second on why Jeremy might be nervous before it hit him. “Also, oh geez, I’m not mad or upset or anything. I don’t think of you differently with how I feel about you.”

“You sure about that?” he asked weakly. “‘Cause I’m not exactly the twenty-three year old  _ living _ guy who you thought I was.” He sighed. “I literally have to hurt people just to survive. That’s not exactly... good boyfriend material, is it?”

“I mean, you’ve been trying to give me hints,” Michael said as he ran his thumb across Jeremy’s knuckles. “And it doesn’t seem like you  _ like _ hurting people and like you haven’t hurt one in a while.” He raised Jeremy’s hand up and pressed a kiss to the back of it. “Plus, I sorta just can’t bear the thought of not being with you, so... Yeah, I’m sure.”

Jeremy opened his eyes a little. “You mean that?” He sounded so hopeful but so broken.

“I wouldn’t be saying it if it wasn’t true,” Michael told him as he squeezed Jeremy’s hand.

“I can’t deal with the idea of  _ not _ being with you, even if I’m not supposed to,” he admitted quietly.

“I mean, same here. The idea of not being with you is agonizing, platonic or otherwise.” Michael sighed as he rested his head against Jeremy’s chest.

It was strange, not hearing a heartbeat, but the feeling of Jeremy’s arms around him helped to compensate. “I really wanna be with you, Mikey.”

“I wanna be with you too, Jeremy.” Michael sighed and gave Jeremy a weary smile. “I’m willing to put it all in for you.”

“Me too. Even if... it means risking...”

“Even if it means risking what?”

“Me,” Jeremy finished. “The head of my family... He doesn’t like werewolves. If he caught me with you... after last time, he’d just totally restrict me at best. You wouldn’t be in any danger, since you can just play ignorant, but he’d clamp down on me after that for sure.” Jeremy sounded tired. “After last time... yeah, it’s... Being with you isn’t safe for me, but I want it anyway.”

Michael thought on that. For some reason, this head of family made his blood boil. That didn’t help right now with how shit he felt. There was this need to protect Jeremy. He felt very protective of people he cared for, but this was a different kind. A new kind that was exhilarating and frightening.

“Well, I won’t let him hurt you. I’m going to keep you safe if push comes to shove, so to speak.”

Jeremy gasped softly, then relaxed. He fell totally limp (in a good way) and when Michael looked up, his eyes were lidded, dazed and very, very happy. “M’gonna look after you too, Mikey. You’re gonna be safe with me and we’re gonna be together,” he mumbled, sort of gently squeezing Michael.

“I’m glad,” Michael agreed before nuzzling against Jeremy’s chest. “Also, what did I say specifically that made you so happy and zenned out?”

“Not said,” Jeremy clarified almost sleepily. “You just-... and I-...” He took another deep breath, nuzzling against Michael’s head. “Mmm. Made me feel safe. And  _ warm _ .”

Damn, how did he do it to  _ this _ kind of level? Either way, he was glad. Jeremy deserved to feel safe and warm. “Well, I’m glad I’m making you feel that way,” Michael murmured as he shut his eyes, the waves of pain that were still painful, even if it was somewhat subdued now, making an entrance. God damn.

Jeremy seemed to get that, since he started shifting. He turned Michael to face away from him, buried his face against Michael’s neck, just under his jaw, and wrapped his arms around him again. Then, Jeremy started gently rubbing over where his cramps were, the cool pressure helping to soothe them somewhat.

Michael let out a hum, the gentle and cool motions along with their position relaxing him. “That’s so nice,” he almost whispered as he started to melt. Looks like the positions were switched now, not that Michael minded (hint: it was because he was loving this).

“I remember they can be hellish. S’the least I can do...” Jeremy still sounded sleepy and happy, which was awesome. Jeremy deserved to be happy.

“Yeah, they are for me at least half the time,” Michael said as he let himself be held and comforted by Jeremy.

“Hey Mikey? Can I...” Jeremy trailed off, sounding like he was thinking. “I can do something more to help it stop hurting. And... it’ll leave a mark, but only one that people like me can really see. And it’ll keep people like me away from you, kinda like a claim.” Jeremy’s gentle touches didn’t slow. “Would you like me to do that for you?”

Michael thought for a minute before humming softly. “As long as it doesn’t hurt, then yeah, I’d like for you to do that,” he agreed.

“It shouldn’t,” he promised softly, nuzzling his way closer to Michael’s neck. He pressed a gentle kiss over Michael’s pulse, before he felt a slight pinching sensation. It wasn’t painful, just a little uncomfortable. 

Then warm, gentle bliss made its way into Michael’s system, spreading quickly and numbing the pain. Jeremy lightly licked the area and pulled back quickly.

He felt his body relax completely as he happily thought about nothing. “Mm, that’s nice,” he murmured, barely able to say that, as he felt Jeremy resettle.

“Yeah?” Jeremy murmured, pressing a kiss to Michael’s cheek. “Well... you taste good. Not in a ‘drain me’ kinda way, but in a... I dunno. Just really, really good. Intense...” He hummed in thought. "If you were anyone else, I  _ would _ be tempted."

Oh, so he drank his blood. Duh, he should’ve figured. “Well, is my blood sweet? I dunno my blood type, but I know some types’re sweeter than others... supposedly.”

Jeremy hummed. “Yeah, your blood is sweet. Sweeter than any I’ve had before in the best way.” He nuzzled at the back of Michael’s neck and shifted a little, tangling their legs together. “It’s addictive too.”

Michael happily tangled and locked his legs with Jeremy. It helped dull the last lingering bits of pain away. “So... What ‘m hearing is that I’m addictive. Rad.”

“More than that.” Michael could hear the slightest sort of longing in Jeremy’s voice. “Werewolf blood is one of the most heady for a vampire, and yours is just... wow. If I were any younger, I don’t think I would be able to stop myself.”

“So... I’m addictive  _ and _ irresistible. Jeremy, y’re gonna inflate my ego,” Michael somewhat jested as he reached a hand up to rest on top of one of Jeremy’s as it rubbed against his abdomen.

“Yeah, well... you’re mine now. I’ve claimed you as mine.” Jeremy kissed the back of Michael’s neck. “So no one else gets a taste or to touch. Y’re all mine,” he cooed, almost drunkenly.

Michael couldn’t help but laugh a little. “And you’re all mine,” he echoed as he held the hand his own rested against and gently squeezed.

  
  
  


Jeremy groaned as he stood up and stretched. Michael had fallen asleep, and he knew Jeremy would be leaving some time into the night. Still, Jeremy didn’t  _ want _ to leave. Every instinct he had was telling him to never leave Michael’s side. It was more intense than anything Jeremy had ever experienced, and he’d tried starving himself. It took a lot of willpower to actually get out of bed and head to the bathroom.

First things first. Jeremy needed a shower. He smelt of dog, especially considering Michael had essentially scented him. He was  _ covered _ in pheromones, which would give them up straight away.

He saw Jenna on the way to the bathroom... because he had no idea which door led to the bathroom, so he ended up in the common area. He hadn’t even noticed her coming back, he had been so busy focusing on Michael. She raised a brow before understanding and pointing to a door. “There are fresh towels in there, and there are some nice scents with his shower stuff. Lots of citrus and soft stuff that you’ll like.”

“Perfect, thanks Jenna.” He grinned before pausing at the doors. “He knows, by the way. You guys can talk and ask me questions by text if you want.”

“Good. I forgot to give him your number, was sort of freaked for my life a bit on Saturday. I’ll text it to him,” she said with a wave before putting her headphones back on and zoning in to her laptop.

Jeremy smiled softly at how relaxed she was before heading to the bathroom, grabbing what he needed as he went.

He stripped as soon as he was sure everything was set and ready, tracing his fingers along the surgery scars on his chest. The benefit of having so many different people in your ‘family’ was that there were people who could do all sorts of clever things. One of their most recent family members happened to be a surgeon and she did the operation on Jeremy. It was great.

After that prideful reflection, Jeremy turned on the water. Hot. He never got to feel warm anymore (well, except with Michael), so warm water was a must. As he waited for it to warm up, he looked over the bathroom. It was small, but nice enough for one person. There must have been two bathrooms and Jenna claimed that one. 

The hair and body care products all had a unique smell. The hair products were citrus scented while the body soap was a bar of Irish Spring. Interesting combination, just like how Michael was an interesting combination of traits and characteristics.

Since no one else would have a connection to Michael, Jeremy could wear  _ these _ scents proudly, even if he had to mask the heavenly scents and pheromones Michael had been giving off. Honestly, the boy had no clue what he was capable of and what he was doing. 

Jeremy couldn’t help but grin as he thought about Michael. He really adored him already, in such a short space of time.

Jeremy found himself going back to figure out  _ how _ he adored Michael as he got into the now steaming shower. Somehow, this boy was so sweet and considerate, caring, and so loyal. Ideas of who he was danced in Jeremy’s head, things that just seemed to fit with what he knew about this geeky boy. How did he have such a good idea about him? Well, maybe from being alive for so long, but something was so unique about Michael, something he hadn’t encountered in anyone else. He just couldn’t put his finger on it.

The one thing he was certain of, though, was that he  _ never _ felt this way about anyone before. Not Christine, his fiancée when he was human, not Hermann, his last lover; no one even came close. 

It was intense, almost soul changing. If he believed he still  _ had _ a soul, anyways. If he did, it would be blackened and torn by now. Still, Michael changed that when Jeremy was around him. Michael made him feel alive. Actually alive. And Jeremy was damn certain he was in love with him.

Somehow, Michael seemed to feel a similar way. It helped make Jeremy feel a bit more alive and made him smile. He got lucky somehow, and Jeremy wasn’t going to take Michael for granted. 

After lathering himself up and washing himself off, Jeremy quickly turned off the water and stepped out. He dried himself off, looking at his clothes as he did so. The pheromones only stuck to his skin, not his clothes, so they were fine to wear again. Thank god.

Any lingering smells would dissipate as he went through town anyways. 

Now he had to come up with a cover. Well... he already  _ had _ a cover, he just didn’t know if he wanted to use it. It was the best option, but…

Yeah he had to.

Okay, time to find someone to drink from. God, he was gonna have to play up the whole incubus phase he went through, wasn’t he? Ugh. At least he wasn’t  _ actually _ going through with it this time.

He grimaced at what he knew he’d have to do as he got changed and dried his hair off a bit more. Jeremy was a lot hornier before, back when he was a newly turned vampire. He’d sleep with whoever and then drink from them. Jeremy shuddered as he recounted that whole thing. Well, he was just going to drink a little, not actually sleep with someone. 

Once he was all changed and dry, he left the bathroom. When he was at the door, he saw Jenna in the common area. She didn’t even look up from her laptop as she waved, and Jeremy felt a little better as he waved back before going. 

Alright, time to find someone.

A guy would be ideal, and someone drunk to boot. It would be so much easier to explain if he was a little tipsy from the blood. Also, just from his track record... well he definitely had more guys than girls in his bed.

He started towards one of the seedier clubs, knowing finding a mark would be easy there.

He was right nearby when he found someone who could work. The guy was totally wasted, singing a bit from where he was. He had his phone out, probably to order an Uber or Lyft, but he hadn’t done so yet.

Jeremy quickly made his way over, cranking up the brilliance of his eyes. He knew just how to catch this guy’s attention, even if he was straight.

“Hey there. Need a ride?” Jeremy purred, getting close to the guy and brushing his fingers along the guy’s wrist. A sort of seduction was always the best way to get someone alone; it was quick and easy, especially when they were drunk.

The guy looked up and at Jeremy, locking in to his gaze once they locked eyes. “Yeah, I- I definitely need one,” the guy said as the redness of his cheeks increased. “Which kind ‘re y’offering?”

“Both, if you think you can handle me.” He had this guy hook, line, and sinker. The daze in his eyes from the alcohol only got worse as he focused more on Jeremy’s eyes.

Jeremy walked his fingers up the guy’s arm before grabbing onto his collar and lightly tugging him down. “I’m looking for some fun. Think you can help me out?”

“Yeah, yeah, I can do that for ya,” the guy reassured him as his eyes never looked away from Jeremy’s. “I can totally handle you. I might even be able t’wrangle you in, so be careful.”

Jeremy gave the guy a sultry smile and slowly released the hold on his collar. He beckoned the guy towards an alleyway. “Let’s have a pit stop before we get going, hmm?”

The guy nodded eagerly as he followed after Jeremy, tucking his phone into his pants pocket as he went.

Jeremy could smell the lustful pheromones coming off the guy and internally fist pumped. This would be perfect for masking any lingering scents Michael left behind.

Jeremy forced the guy against the wall, hidden behind a dumpster and pressed close. He instantly tucked himself under the guy’s chin, letting his fangs slide out from behind his front teeth. Not yet. He had to wait until-

The guy wrapped his arms around Jeremy, and that’s when he struck. Jeremy bit right into the carotid artery under his lips, releasing as much of the venom as he safely could, and he began to drink.

He knew it worked when the guy moaned and relaxed immediately. How they were pressed against the wall kept the guy from moving, but a lot of him went limp. Jeremy had only given Michael a tiny bit of this to help with his cramps, but this guy was loaded up on them. It made drinking a lot more pleasant for this guy at least, so if he remembered anything, it would at least be a pleasurable moment.

Jeremy only drank enough to take the edge off his thirst, which would be enough to fool the rest of the coven. When he was done, he sealed the bite with a small lick and let the guy slide down the wall. He made sure to give him one more blast with his eyes to ensure he wouldn’t be remembered or recognized if they ever crossed paths again. And, just to be nice, Jeremy took the guy’s phone and messaged one of the guy’s friends, saying he needed to be picked up. The friend responded instantly and Jeremy felt so much better as he walked out. He didn’t bother fixing his now messy hair or rumpled clothes; it added to the illusion. 

He took a deep breath and finally felt the relief he’d been missing for two weeks. Ah, even if he hated feeding, he did enjoy being able to breathe properly again.

Now, all he had to do was go back home. At least the place they were staying at here felt a bit more like a home than the last few places the coven had stayed at. He hated how cramped and miserable things could feel on top of the already present feeling of self loathing and dread from just existing as a vampire. A nice living space changed that up a bit.

And he got his own apartment, so bonus. 

Jeremy strolled into the building with all the swagger and self confidence of someone who just got laid. It was easy to fake, at least with all the practice he had, and judging by the looks of some of the younger vampires, the illusion was working perfectly.

He didn’t fool some people, of course, but they were the ones who knew him best. Of course they’d be confused. 

“Hey Jeremy,” Rich called as Jeremy walked to his apartment, stopping him a second later. “Did you just... get laid?”

“Yup.” Jeremy grinned lazily. “And man, it was a hell of a ride.” He knew he was slurring a little. The alcohol the guy had consumed had hit him about a minute ago, so he was a little drunk at least. Rich could apparently smell it, since he wrinkled his nose a little. He didn’t like alcohol much.

“More power to you, but you haven’t gotten laid since we first moved to the US.” Rich wasn’t as much suspicious as he was curious and concerned. He was a good friend, and had been around for at least a century longer than him. He was one of the only few people who was older than him.

“Yeah, but I-“ Jeremy hiccuped a little. It always happened when he was drunk. “I wanted to forget about yesterday. Killing the kid... not fun.” He shuddered. “So I went to the club to grab a bite and one thing led to another.” He giggled. “S’nice being able to breathe again.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Rich mumbled as he looked Jeremy over. “Need any help getting settled into your room?”

“Nah, I’m good.” Jeremy hiccuped again. “I’m just feelin... really good.” He grinned. “Forgot how good it tastes just after.”

“I mean yeah, it is really good,” Rich agreed as he crossed his arms over his chest. It made sense that he was a little worried and uncomfortable. Jeremy never showed any like for drinking blood unless it was right after he got his fill. “If you need anything though, I’m right here across the hall. Derek’s in his room, doing some work for Squip, and Marshal is in his room too.”

“I’m  _ fiiiiine _ , Richie.” Jeremy grinned, swaying in place a little. “Just don’t tell Squip. Shhhhhh.” He pressed one finger over Rich’s lips. “He’ll think I’m going feral again and it’ll make him  _ too _ happy.”

Rich rolled his eyes as he patted Jeremy’s shoulder. “I won’t tell him, don’t worry. But seriously though, you’re swaying and getting a little out of it. Let me ease my mind and help your ass into bed?”

Jeremy smiled dazedly and nodded, leaning into Rich’s touch. He was acting it up a little, but he was genuinely drunk at this point.

Rich walked Jeremy into his apartment since he already asked for an invitation. He took Jeremy to his room, helping Jeremy get comfortable and tucked in. These new sheets that he bought ten or so years ago were so nice, especially now. Not as nice as Michael’s sheets because they weren’t as comfortable. Oh, and because Michael wasn’t in these sheets with him. 

“If you need anyone, just shoot us a text, yeah?” Rich asked, snapping Jeremy out of his stupor a bit.

Jeremy nodded. “Hey Richie?” he asked slowly. “S’it bad if I really enjoyed tonight? An’ I wanna do it again?”

Rich looked down at Jeremy. “Which part of tonight did you enjoy the most?”

“Everything.” He sighed. “Felt good to do it all again.” It felt good to feel alive again.

“Ask me that again when you aren’t drunk and think about what exactly you enjoyed the most. I’m not answering when you’re giving me an inebriated answer,” Rich concluded before ruffling Jeremy’s hair.

“M’kay Richie.” Jeremy mumbled, closing his eyes. He couldn’t sleep, no vampire could, but he could rest. Just exist and let the alcohol work out of his system.

  
  
  


Michael was finishing up his response due for his Women Studies class as he sat in bed with Jeremy. “Wait, sorry, I zoned out a bit when I finished the paragraph for Blackboard,” he said before looking back up at Jeremy. “Let me edit this quick after I finish my last sentence and then I’m all ears. If I listen and type, I’ll start typing some of what you’re saying instead.”

“That’s fine, Mikey. Take your time.” Jeremy seemed wonderfully relaxed, more so than Michael had seen him ever. It was a change to the slight tension he usually carried.

Probably because he didn’t have anything to hide now since Michael knew. It was nice to see.

Michael took a few minutes to quickly finish his response and edit it before posting it. He shut his laptop and put it on his bedside dresser before looking up at Jeremy. “Alright, I’m all yours.”

Jeremy shot him a small smile before flopping back. “Well... I gotta tell you what I need to do to make sure we get to see each other. To make sure we don’t get caught.”

“Alright, give it to me then,” Michael said as he reached over and grabbed Jeremy’s hand. He felt his heart speed up a little when they intertwined their fingers and scooted to lie closer together.

Jeremy sighed. “Well... to put it bluntly, you... smell strongly. So I have to cover up that smell with something else,” he muttered. “Which means I have to... drink. And half seduce people since it’s the only thing strong enough.”

Michael hummed as he thought about what that entailed. “But you’re being safe with them, right? The people you’re drinking from. You’re also not doing anything past seducing, right?”

“Yeah.” Jeremy nodded instantly. “I’m only taking a little, just enough to show. And I’m just making them  _ think _ I’m gonna do something more. I drink and then leave after calling a friend or something for them.” He looked over at Michael. “Sex smells, and lust is enough to convince the rest of my family. Especially considering my... history. When I was younger.”

That had Michael raising a brow as he reached over and pulled a blanket over them. “You don’t have to tell me about it if you don’t wanna,” Michael assured him as he shifted to rest his head on Jeremy’s shoulder.

Jeremy sighed. “No, it’s not that. I just... Promise you won’t think badly of me for it?”

“I mean, I know who you are now. Sorta. Still learning about you. As long as you didn’t do anything bad with, like, assault, which I don’t think you’d ever do,” Michael said as he nuzzled against Jeremy’s shoulder.

“No, that wasn’t my style.” Jeremy sort of snorted. “I... well I didn’t take to being turned very well, so I sort of went wild. Just sort of... did what I could to forget. I’d sleep with someone, then drink from them. Earned myself the nickname of ‘Incubus’ for a while. Haven’t done it in centuries, but a decent few people still remember so the cover works.”

Michael couldn’t imagine how he’d react if he had been in Jeremy’s shoes. “Well, that’s not too bad. Plus, it’s not like you’re gonna do that while we’re dating.” It still felt weird, but in a good way, that it was official. They confirmed it before Michael passed out on Monday. Granted, it was only Wednesday, so it was still fresh and new, but still. It was good weird. “Just trick and drink, basically.”

“Yeah, that’s all,” Jeremy promised. “You’re the only one I’m planning on being intimate with anymore.” Jeremy’s wording was careful since he knew Michael wasn’t interested in sex. Michael appreciated the care.

“Then it’s good. I feel like some of our ethics go out the window with all this shit we have to deal with. You have it worse than I do, but we both still gotta deal with bullshit. You get what I’m saying, Remy?”

“Yeah I do.” Jeremy nuzzled against Michael, relaxing further. “I’m more than happy to deal so long as I get you.”

“Same here.” Michael sighed happily as he shut his eyes. That is, until he remembered his game. “Oh, I gotta check in on Animal Crossing. Do you mind video games? I know I’ve mentioned them, but we haven’t really talked about ‘em.”

Jeremy grinned. “Considering I’m in possession of several original arcade machines, I think it’s safe to say I’m a fan.”

“Wait, you are?! Which ones?!” Michael lit up as he sat up and reached over to get his controllers, but he turned to stare with wide eyes at Jeremy after grabbing them.

“Pac-Man, Space Invaders, and a couple others too.” He sounded very proud of himself. “They’re in a storage unit just outside Brooklyn.”

“Oh my god, can I see those sometime soon?” Michael pulled up his hoodie sleeve to show off his Pac-Man tattoo. “Pac-Man is one of my favorite games of all time.”

Jeremy beamed. “Well... I do have some spare money at the moment...” he hummed. “I’ll get an apartment for myself, set them up there. Then you can  _ play _ them too.”

“Oh geez, you don’t need to get an apartment just so I can play them,” Michael insisted, waving his hands quickly before turning his Switch and TV on.

“And if I want to?” Jeremy asked, curling around him from behind and pressing a kiss to his neck. “If I want a space where we can just totally be ourselves? Without the risk of getting caught? If I get it on the edge of town, you can even go there with Jenna before transforming, have a place to crash without needing to drive.”

“Is my humble abode not enough for you?” Michael teased to hide his flusteredness at the situation. He shifted how he was sitting a bit so Jeremy could stay curled up behind him if he wanted.

Jeremy happily curled tighter around him. “Your dorm is great, but it’s not exactly ideal when there is a chance for RAs checking on us.”

“I mean... Yeah, you’re right about that. That  _ is _ the one downside,” he murmured as he started up Animal Crossing.

“Plus, when you’re in wolf mode, having a place that you can have totally your own is a good thing. Especially since you’re not part of a pack.” Jeremy hummed, kissing gently along the side of Michael’s neck. It didn’t feel like too much, more of a gesture of trust on both their sides. Jeremy trusting Michael enough to put himself in this position of temptation, and Michael trusting Jeremy’s self control. “Wolves like dens.”

“I mean, yeah, that’s true,” Michael mumbled as he started playing his character’s save. “I also like hiding in lots of soft things, but I think that’s a Michael thing, not a wolf thing.”

“I think it’s a Michael thing too,” Jeremy agreed. “But having a den of your own would be a good thing, right? And a place where you can get away from everything?” It did sound tempting. “I’ve been saving money for a long time, I have more than I know what to do with. Most of my family does. Let me do this for you and for both of us.”

“I mean, that would be really nice,” Michael admitted as he paused the game. Jeremy’s position and what he was offering was more than enough to occupy his mind right now. “As long as it won’t get you into trouble, sure.”

“It won’t,” he promised. “We’re allowed places to ourselves so long as everyone comes home for Sunday night.”

“Oh, sweet. Then yeah, for sure.” Michael thought for a second as he shifted a little. “Sunday’s aren’t fun days, are they?”

“No.” Jeremy sighed. “They’re Hunt days. We have to be home for them, even if we don’t take part.”

“Oof. That su- No, poor word choice. That stinks... Doesn’t have the same affect, but it’ll work.”

“I mean, it does suck too.” Jeremy snorted. “It sucks a lot.”

“It really fucking sucks then, huh?” Michael asked, glancing back and giving Jeremy a shit-eating grin.

Jeremy hummed in agreement, shifting slightly to press a longer kiss to Michael’s pulse point. “It does.” Michael couldn’t help but shiver at the action.

“Mm, but that didn’t suck,” Michael said as he glanced over at the TV screen. “Not at all.”

“Didn’t think so.” Jeremy kept up the gentle kisses, making sure to keep them just this side of being too much. “Well? Start playing, love. I’m quite happy here,” he purred, his accent slipping slightly. Michael couldn’t place where from and Jeremy didn’t seem to notice.

“Well, you’re gonna have to not be so distracting with the kisses,” Michael said with a playful pout. “I’m not used to any of this. You’re sorta my first real relationship, so I’m not used to the kisses, even if it’s really nice.”

Jeremy pressed one more long, open-mouthed kiss to Michael’s pulse before pulling back and just nuzzling into the crook of his neck with a happy sigh.

Alright, he definitely needed to calm down after that. Animal Crossing would help. “Thank you. Also, what accent did you take on?” he asked as he resumed playing.

“Hmm? I took on an accent?” Jeremy asked, still in the accent. “I didn’t notice.”

“You’re still in it right now. Talk and listen to yourself because I cannot place it.”

Jeremy said a few words, rolling them around his mouth slowly, before sighing almost longingly. “It’s my old one. This is how I used to sound, back when I was alive.”

“So... It’s what an accent from London used to sound like,” Michael posed. “It’s gotten a hell of a lot different.” Hopefully distracting him from before would help.

“You don’t have to worry, love. I’m not upset.” He nuzzled closer. “It’s just that a lot of things have changed for me over the years. Some for the better.” He squeezed Michael gently. “It’s just easy to miss how things were sometimes.”

“I mean, I get it. I miss not having to worry about getting cheap clothes to transform into ‘cause I don’t really wanna be naked when I transform,” Michael said as he rested his head against Jeremy’s.

That got a small giggle. “Yeah, I can sort of understand that.” He hummed. “You know vampires have a day equivalent to a full moon?”

“Oh shit, really? When? Maybe, if I don’t have classes that day, we can go out and do something.”

“It’s not a set day.” Jeremy hummed. “Blood moons send us weird. I have a calendar showing when they’re gonna be. It’s the one day I can’t stop myself from drinking. And I get all loopy.”

“Oh. Well, maybe we won’t go out and do something that day, but I could hang with you when you’re all loopy and keep you company,” Michael offered as he reached over for the blanket they used before to wrap around them both.

“I might drink from you.” Jeremy warned. “I wouldn’t drain you, since I have more control than  _ that _ , but you’d end up very weak and sleepy and blissed out for at least twenty-four hours.”

"I mean... as long as I don't have something to do in that time span, I'm fine with it," Michael said after thinking it over. "I need to learn how to chill the fuck out."

Jeremy hummed. “The benefit of dating a vampire is that I am a literal walking endorphin dispenser.” He snorted. “Just one nip and all the anxieties melt away. And it lingers, if I want it to.”

"I mean hell, that would be great, but I feel like I'd get addicted to that if I asked for you to do it all the time," Michael thought out loud before sighing and finishing wrapping the blanket around the two of them.

“Exactly.” Jeremy nodded. “That’s what happens to the donors. I’m not allowed to use any other word for them... but they’re in a permanent state of bliss. I don’t even know if they even have any thoughts anymore.” He hummed. “We let them go after a couple of weeks, so they don’t get hurt, but they never really get past it. Most of them end up thralls of different covens from what I’ve heard.”

Oh god, the thought of that was haunting. It made Michael's skin crawl, though he knew Jeremy would never do anything like that to him. He felt bad for those people. "Well... At least you don't do that and condone it." The tone he used showed that much.

“No, I wouldn’t. I would never willingly take away someone’s choice by making them a thrall or donor.”

"Exactly. I know that, if you could do something to help those people, you would," Michael added as he shifted to press a kiss to Jeremy's temple.

“I would.” Jeremy nodded. “I’d never _ willingly _ do that to anyone.” He was trying to tell Michael something, judging by the tone of his voice.

Michael thought on what he was saying for a second, what he put an emphasis on, before his heart ached. "Never willingly. Being forced to do that does not count."

Jeremy nodded, losing tension that Michael didn’t realise he was holding. “And I’d never willingly turn anyone either. Especially not the way I was turned.”

Michael nodded as well before pausing his game again and shifting to lie down with Jeremy. "I don't doubt it, Remy. How about we just... lie here for a little bit?"

Jeremy nodded again. “It would be nice to be able to sleep here with you. You’re cozy.” There was less sadness in his voice now, which was good. Just a sort of longing.

"Well, can vampires sleep?" Jeremy shook his head. "We'll do the best that we can then. If you don't want me to, I won't fall asleep while I lie with you. You might have to poke me a few times to make sure I don't pass out though."

Jeremy’s hum was closer to a whine. “At the risk of sounding creepy... Please. Sleep if you want. Sleeping gives off its own sort of smell. Being close to people who are sleeping... It’s as close as _ I  _ can get to dreaming.”

"Well, if you want me to, then I will... once I get sleepy." Michael made sure the blanket was comfortably over them as he rested his head against his pillows. "Are you saying I'm better company asleep than awake?"

Jeremy giggled weakly at that. “No, but lying with you when you’re asleep... It’s as close to sleeping as  _ I  _ can get.”

"So you're using me sleeping. I see how it is, Remy," he continued to tease before trying to reach for his bear plush he got from Jenna last year.

“Yeah, using you for sleep and because you smell  _ heavenly _ .” Jeremy made a big show of nuzzling into Michael’s neck, right where he knew his scent gland was, and taking a deep sniff.

"I knew it. You didn't fall for my personality or looks or character. You fell... for my smell. The horror!"

Jeremy took another loud, long sniff. “It certainly caught my attention.” There was a sort of slur to his voice. “Mmmm, y’do smell good.”

"Are you getting drunk off of my scent?"

"Just the happy, loving smells," Jeremy mumbled, pressing a kiss against Michael's scent gland again.

"Still, you're getting drunk off of my scent." Michael shut his eyes as he said that, not really minding that Jeremy was getting drunk off of him. Actually, it was quite flattering now that he thought about it.

“S’not my fault you smell good and relaxing.” Jeremy grumbled. “You smell even better than most werewolves.”

"So I'm the cream of the crop. Good to know," he murmured as he rested an arm over Jeremy's side.

“You’re better than  _ anyone _ .” He sighed happily. “I’m about four hundred and fifty and I’ve never found anyone who even comes close.” Michael wasn’t sure he was talking just about his scent anymore.

"Well thank you." Even if he yawned while saying that, Michael meant it. "Even if I'm not even old enough to drink, you're amazing and just... yeah."

Jeremy grinned. Michael glanced up at him and noted that his eyes were slits instead of normal and they were much brighter blue. He decided to ask about it later. 

“I know it’s early but... I love you Mikey,” Jeremy mumbled sleepily.

"I mean, it's been two days... but I feel the same." Michael knew that someone needed to wait a while before deciding on loving someone so intently, but he felt that with Jeremy. After all, he felt he couldn't live without Jeremy in his life. How could he not love him?

Jeremy pressed more kisses to Michael’s neck, nuzzling there. “Sleep well, Mikey. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

  
  



	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey lovelies! This chapter has a lot of fluff mostly. There is still some very interesting developments, but for the most part, it’s fluff. Enjoy!
> 
> And now a word from my favourite person :3c
> 
> Hey guys, Ari here!
> 
> This chapter has more plot and interesting developments I think y'all will love. ;3c Enjoy!!!

Michael wasn’t totally sure what Jeremy was planning. It was Saturday, and Jeremy had texted him to get dressed into something comfy but nice. He said to be ready by six, but that was odd since that was still during the day. The sun wouldn’t have set by that point.

Yeah, the sunset was soon, but Jeremy was probably going to get burned if he came now. Regardless, he was dressed in comfy jeans, a big, baggy t-shirt, and his hoodie. Michael sat in their little living room, scrolling through his phone as he waited for Jeremy.

At exactly six, Michael heard Jenna get up and go to the door. She came back about two minutes later and gestured for him to go. “Your Prince is waiting.”

Michael wanted to argue with her because she probably did that to work him up, but he was too curious about what Jeremy had planned. "Thank you. Don't get too lonely without me, Jenna," he said as he got up and over to the door.

Jenna waved him off with a cheeky grin. Sure enough, Jeremy was standing by the door, a bunch of flowers in hand. Knowing Jeremy, they would each have a meaning.

Jeremy was dressed in a comfy striped shirt, his blue cardigan that he had taken back from Michael and some nice jeans. He looked fantastic.

"Hi Remy," Michael mused as he took the bouquet when Jeremy handed it over. "Happy almost-month. These flowers are lovely. You also look really nice."

“Thanks.” Jeremy beamed. “You look great too.” Jenna had apparently set up a vase near the door for the flowers, so he put them away straight away. “Ready to go?” Jeremy asked with a lovesick grin, watching Michael with soft eyes.

"As long as you tell me what all those flowers meant on the way to wherever we're going," Michael said as he offered his hand for Jeremy to take.

“Of course.” Jeremy smiled, taking Michael’s hand. “Now, we’re heading to town. There’s a rather nice restaurant in town that happens to cater to so many different people, including the supernatural.” He grinned proudly.

"Oooh, what restaurant?" he asked as he started to walk out of the dorm building with Jeremy.

“It’s a little place downtown called Slice of Life,” Jeremy explained. “It’s not super upscale, but it caters to _everyone_ .” As Jeremy explained, he swung their arms between them. The full moon was approaching again, so Michael could actually smell Jeremy for once. He smelled happy, _really_ happy. And really good. Michael wanted to get closer, smell more, for some reason.

"Well, it sounds like a real nice place," Michael said as he walked a little closer to Jeremy, though he left enough room for their arms to be able to swing. Ah, that was a bit better. He could get a deeper scent. "When'd you find it?"

"Oh, I met the owners a few generations back, from the last time I was in New Jersey." Jeremy waved his hand almost dismissively. "It's a family-run business, so they still have me on record." Michael was detecting smells he didn't recognize, but they were strangely familiar. Almost like... brass. And... there was no other word but magic. It was subtle, barely there, but it was present and it made Michael feel safe. Secure.

"That's really nice. Does that mean that there's a discount for you?" Michael asked in a teasing tone as he squeezed Jeremy's hand.

"No, but considering I'm only going to be drinking, I won't be spending much on my meal." He grinned, leaning up and kissing Michael's cheek.

"Oh, I hope that you know that, in spite of you saying that, I'm getting the cheapest thing that I'd like on the menu," Michaael informed Jeremy with a kiss to Jeremy's nose.

"You don't have to do that, love,” Jeremy cooed. "It's not expensive, so I don't mind paying for whatever." He nuzzled close, pressing a kiss to the side of Michael's neck.

“Well I don’t want you to pay so much, I dunno. I was trying to playfully spite you and it backfired,” he playfully muttered as he turned and kissed Jeremy’s head.

Jeremy grinned. "You forget, Mikey, I'm old." He giggled. "Plans like that will often backfire. You have to distract me or be _really_ tricky to manage it."

“But that’s too much effort and I wanna be cute and playful. You ruined the moment by not going along with it,” Michael said as his pout increased.

"Well I'm sorry." He nodded solemnly. "If you want, we can always cut this date short and... eat in?" Michael swore he saw a flash of fangs from Jeremy's seemingly innocent smile. He had never seen Jeremy pull them out before, so he was a little confused when he saw the flash from behind his front teeth rather than his canines.

“Ok, you’re gonna need to clarify what way you mean by eating in,” Michael said. “Because that can mean more than one thing right now and I need to be sure which thing you mean.”

"I mean, I take you back to my place and we have a bite." Jeremy kissed his neck again and yeah, Michael definitely felt the slight scrape of fangs brushing lightly over his skin that time. Jeremy giggled as he pulled back, face bright and eyes mischievous.

Well, that was a flirtatious way to answer that. “You could’ve just been clear instead of just being a tease, you know,” Michael murmured, sure he had some red color tinting his cheeks by now.

"Now _I'm_ being playful." He giggled as an answer. "Also, is the idea of me biting you _really_ that appealing to you?"

“I mean, I’m interested and it’s a safe way for you to feed. Plus, I’m blissed the fuck out after. It’s nice to not have to stress and worry, and I feel much better from you biting me versus getting stoned. Plus, it’s practically free, no offense to Dustin or anything.”

Jeremy arched an eyebrow. "Well, the full moon is in a couple of days... Maybe then, if you _really_ want me to."

“I mean, sure, but you’re gonna have to talk with Jenna about that since we normally do all the moon stuff together. Well, except me getting stoned out of my mind,” Michael said as he shrugged. “It’s on Wednesday this month, and my Thursday classes are, thankfully, cancelled since my professors are speaking in the Philippines. It’s a whole Women’s Rights conference.”

"I'll talk to her. And I have a room prepared for her in the apartment if she wants to stay over, to make things easier for you both." Jeremy shrugged, as if it were no big deal.

“You’re honestly a life saver. I’ll drive over after class ends on Wednesday and chill in the apartment for a bit,” Michael said before a thought interrupted that. “Oh! You also never told me about the flowers.”

"Lavender, magenta lilacs, violets, and yarrow." Jeremy hummed. "Devotion, love and passion, loyalty, devotion and faithfulness, and of course, love." He gazed up at Michael happily. "All together, it basically translates to this: I am passionately devoted to you."

“Aww, that’s so gay,” Michael laughed, feeling his heart speeding up a little from Jeremy’s sweet and loving message and meaning. “I’m happy to have you be passionately devoted to me.”

Jeremy's expression softened even further somehow. "I don't think I've been happier ever, in life or in my afterlife."

“Aww. You’re gonna overwhelm my little gay heart, please spare me,” Michael whined, tossing his free arm across his face as he failed at suppressing his smile.

“Never.”

“Nooo!” Jeremy’s laughter made him grin like the lovestruck fool he was. Jeremy tugging his hand that they were at the restaurant distracted him from his gay thoughts, and he happily walked into the restaurant with Jeremy.

  
  
  


Jeremy hummed as he debated between two boxes. Would it be better to get the bigger box of pads so Michael could leave some at the apartment? Yeah. Yeah, that would be best. He put the bigger box into his cart, which was already ladened with food and other essentials for his living guests that night.

Honestly, Jeremy was just glad pads and tampons were a thing now. Having a period in the sixteenth century was not fun. He had to use rags and that was just a mess to clean.

He had just turned away from the shelves, ready to get the next item on his list, when he saw a woman. She wasn't massively remarkable, pretty but nothing making her stand out, but she _was_ staring right at Jeremy with a fond sort of shock. A quick, subtle sniff revealed her to be a werewolf. Shit, this couldn't be good.

Before he could react without it being suspicious, the woman walked over with her cart full of kid snacks, some unhealthy but most healthy. “Do you... do you know Michael Mell?” she asked, no hint of a threat or anything. If anything, her tone was fond but also curious.

"I... Yes..." He couldn't lie about that. He was wearing his cardigan, which was very much doused in Michael's scent after he stole it during their date a few nights ago. She had to be able to smell it. Jeremy found himself inadvertently relaxing. The motherly aura this woman gave off just... made him feel safe somehow.

“You’re his boyfriend, aren’t you?” Before Jeremy could ask how she knew, her face softened. “He got teased about it on Sunday when we had our pack meeting. He had your scent lingering during last month’s meeting, and I was able to put the pieces together.”

"Oh." Well shit. Even if this woman didn't seem threatening, she could still be dangerous or expose them. "Yes... I am." He still wouldn't give her any more reasons to be suspicious or hate him.

She looked over his cart before smiling. “I’d say to get portable heating pads. They have an adhesive to let it line the inside of wherever you want to stick it to. That’ll help Michael. Oh, also get him some ginger ale. Sometimes he gets bad stomach issues after the full moon,” the woman informed, going into full mother mode.

"Oh, thank you." Jeremy grabbed the pads and made a note to get the ginger ale in a moment. After doing so, he paused, then made a choice. "I'm Jeremy. It's nice to meet a member of his sort of pack." He offered his hand to the woman, offering to shake it. If she did, there would be no chance she wouldn't know he wasn't human. Still, she probably knew already.

“It’s nice to meet you too, Jeremy. I’m Jasmine,” she said as she shook his head, though nothing about her scent or body or anything changed. “Also, a good thing to have for Michael is a plush. He loves those things. My boys pitched their allowance together to get him one for his birthday last year.”

"I've set up a den full of plushes and soft things just for him." Jeremy smiled. "I've been finding as many as I can for him so I could surprise him tonight. He stayed in my room when he came over last time."

Jasmine nodded, a fond expression overtaking her face. “Be sure to take good care of him, then.” She patted his cheek before kissing it. “I need to get going so I can pick up my boys at school, but good luck tonight.”

Jeremy was stunned. This woman, this werewolf, was treating him so gently and motherly. He... He hadn't been cared for like this in a long time.

Jasmine turned to leave, but Jeremy had to speak up. "Er, Jasmine, wait!" She paused. "Can I... get your number please? And can we grab a coffee or something later? After the moon, I mean."

She seemed surprised by that, but she quickly recovered and nodded. “Yes, of course.” Jeremy handed his phone over and she took it, fingers quickly tapping across the screen before she handed it back over. “We can figure out a time later. For now, you have other matters to worry about. Like getting ginger ale.”

"Thanks Jasmine." Jeremy smiled, nodding. "Have fun tonight." With that, Jasmine waved and wandered off leaving Jeremy feeling a spark of warmth in his chest that he thought only Michael could ever bring. It was nowhere near as strong or intense, but Jeremy felt a little more alive after that encounter for sure. 

Pushing the questioning as to why aside, Jeremy turned back to his cart. He had ginger ale to buy.

  
  
  


Jeremy had finished getting everything set up when there was a knock on the door. When he answered, Michael and Jenna were there. Jenna had a backpack slung over her shoulder while Michael smiled and waved, though it was clear some of the pain was starting to set in. “Hey. Can we please come in?” Jenna asked.

"Come on in, guys." He grinned and stepped aside. "Jenna, your room is over there. Feel free to dump your stuff and chill there for however long. Mikey, you come with me. Let's get you settled in your den."

Michael nodded, walking in with Jenna before he took Jeremy’s hand. Jenna removed her shoes and put them to the side. “I’ll bring in Michael’s stuff and stay for a bit. I’ll give you tips and tricks.”

“There aren’t tips and tricks, rude,” Michael murmured as he kicked off his shoes.

“You’re always just too stoned to remember them,” Jenna sung before going to the guest room.

Jeremy sniggered and guided them both towards the room Jeremy had designated as the den room. It had a bed in there as well as some clothing drawers and such, but it was mostly dominated by the small, plush cave Jeremy had set up. It was a permanent pillow fort lined with blankets and towels and enough plushies to make a beautiful, soft nest big enough for two but small enough to still be cozy for one. Jeremy was really excited but also nervous. He hoped Michael liked it.

He heard Michael gasp and could practically hear his currently nonexistent tail wagging. “Oh my god, Jeremy. When did you make this? How? This is amazing. I was going to suggest making a pillow fort soon, but you already beat me to it.”

Jeremy ducked his head a little, grinning bashfully. "I kinda started it as soon as I got the apartment. It's sturdy, so it won't collapse in on you, and it's permanent for as long as I own the apartment. So..." He would be blushing if it were possible.

Arms carefully moved around him before bringing him into a soft and gentle hug. “Thank you, Remy. It’s amazing. Can we go test it out right now?”

Jeremy nodded. "It's big enough for two to actually fit in the nest, and for people to sit around the outside comfortably in case you wanted visitors." He leaned happily into Michael's arms with a soft, content sigh.

“That’s really nice,” Michael murmured before he walked himself and Jeremy to the next. “Can you give me the proper tour?”

Jeremy helped Michael climb into the nest part. "Well, here's the coziest part 'cause it's got all the plushies and stuff. There are blankets and everything in here to curl up with." He sat outside the nest. "There are actually little soft stools outside the edge so it's comfy to sit out here too and peer inside at you. And the whole thing has an air-con unit in the back of the plushie cave part back here." Jeremy pointed to a barely visible fan hidden behind the 'back wall' of the cave. "This way, you can stay cool when it gets hot."

For a second, Michael looked like he was about to cry- oh, he was tearing up. “They’re good tears, I promise,” Michael assured Jeremy before wiping his eyes and smiling. “This... I love this. I love _you_.”

"I love you too, Mikey." Jeremy smiled, relaxing because _Michael liked it_! "I know you don't have a den of your own, so I wanted you to have one so you could feel safe and it's just for you, so you can decorate it and scent it and everything."

Michael sniffled and scrubbed his eyes a bit more before reaching for Jeremy. “Please come here so I can hug you.”

Jeremy climbed in and curled up, lying back so Michael could climb on top of him. He tipped his head back, exposing his neck. "I know we did this last full moon, but since this is your nest and den, I'm gonna do it again."

Confusion slipped across Michael's face as he looked down at Jeremy. "Do what?" He did seem intrigued, if his lit eyes said anything about his werewolf instincts starting to kick in.

"Last full moon, I did this as a way of defaulting dominance to you and asking to join your pack," Jeremy explained, head still back. "This is your nest, so I'm doing the same. I'm defaulting dominance to you here since it's your safe space." He shot Michael a soft smile. "If you were in wolf form, you'd sniff my neck, my scent, and either accept or reject me from there."

"Oh... I don't remember doing that," Michael murmured as he sat and straddled Jeremy, slow and careful with his movements. He didn't even stop to think as he moved down, nuzzling against the dip of Jeremy's neck and pressing a kiss there after sniffing the area. "Well, I wouldn't ever reject you."

"Well, this way you have the option to, and it's about respect as much as anything." Jeremy smiled, eyes slipping shut in contentment. "So, with your nose a bit more sensitive now, how do I smell?"

He heard Michael sniff again before speaking. "Like... old books. Sweet too, and somewhat metallic. There's- Oh, that's new. I'm not used to tree wood," Michael murmured. "But, besides that, there's some unique scent in there that I can't quite identify... It's your unique scent though, the Jeremy scent."

Jeremy hummed happily. "That sounds like a nice combo." He didn't move to lean his head forward yet, quite enjoying having Michael so close to such a delicate area. It was a sign of trust. He wondered if-

"Hey, what's this mark?" Oh, he did see it this time.

"That is my bite mark," Jeremy explained as Michael traced a finger along the barely there remains of the bruise. It was almost impossible to see unless you were close and in decent light. "It's the point I was drained from when I got turned. And it's-" Michael brushed it in just a perfect way and Jeremy gasped and shivered a little. "It's sensitive. In a nice way."

"Oh." There was a brief stint of silence before a gentle peck was pressed there. As Jeremy let out a loud groan, Michael's fingers carefully replaced his lips, rubbing softly against the area as Michael shifted. He got off of Jeremy and lie down in the fort. "I would've never guessed."

Jeremy squirmed a little as Michael kept rubbing it so softly. It was so nice and was honestly giving him a heady sort of high. "Yeah. S'really sensitive. Probably the most sensitive."

"I'll keep that in mind," Michael murmured before pulling his hand back, slowly and carefully.

Jeremy shot Michael a dazed smile, holding his arms open for Michael to snuggle closer. "C'mere. Lemme hug you."

Michael nodded as he shuffled over and got comfortable against Jeremy. "I think sunset starts in an hour... I normally get high an hour before and make sure 'm stoned out of my mind."

"Well I can get you drugged up whenever," Jeremy mumbled, wrapping his arms around Michael and holding him close. "It'll be good and strong within two minutes of the bite." Jeremy kissed the top of his head. "I can promise that you'll feel amazing, and, if we’re right about this, you won't feel a single sliver of pain."

Michael let out a soft hum as he nuzzled against Jeremy's chest. "You won't let Jenna record me if I say anything embarassing or stupid, right?"

"Promise." Jeremy nodded. "If you want, I'll even hit you hard enough with it that you won't want to speak, you'll be too relaxed, to make sure it doesn't happen."

He seemed to think on that for a moment. "Let's not do that this time. If this proves to be better than weed, then we'll do this next moon and we'll gauge from tonight how I was on if you should do that next time or not."

"Sure thing." Jeremy hummed. "The good thing about a bite in comparison to weed is that it doesn't make you get weirdly focused. It'll just make you feel happy and relaxed, so it's not likely that you'll just say what's on your mind if anything.'

"Alright, that's good. Jenna's been using that against me whenever I've been high around her."

"What? No, I just happen to experience how you are when you are high," Jenna said from the doorway.

"Hey Jenna." Jeremy smiled at her. "What do you think of the den I made Mikey?"

Jenna was smiling as she looked around the room before specifically focusing in on the den. "It's nice and cozy. Perfect for our wittle Mikey." Michael just huffed, although it was playfully.

"That's the idea!" Michael sort of squawked at that. "What? I made it soft because you like soft things. And you're the youngest out of all of us."

"Doesn't mean that you can talk about me like that." Even if he was pouting, Jeremy could tell that Michael was as content as he could be. "But besides that, can we please get the bite done soon? The pains'll get really bad soon..."

"Of course." Jeremy shifted them so he was positioned near Michael's neck, which he instantly burried himself into. "Y'ready, Mikey?" He hummed.

"I'm ready," Michael told him, his hands resting against Jeremy's waist as he held on to his shirt.

Jeremy let his fangs slip down from behind his front teeth, pressing a kiss to Michael's pulse before biting down lightly. He could taste the amazing, addictive burst of flavor and pure energy hit his system, but he wasn't here to drink. He took a small sip, just enough to get the venom flowing, before injecting enough into Michael that he'd be blissful and relaxed, no pain at all. Someone could break his leg and he wouldn't even notice.

Michael had bunched Jeremy's shirt into his hands at the initial bite, but he slowly let go as Jeremy pulled back and licked at the bite to seal it up. When he looked down at Michael, Jeremy could see his face relaxing as the venom started to kick in and kick out any and all tension and pain.

Jeremy quickly rubbed his tongue around his mouth, making sure there wasn't any blood there, before leaning down and kissing Michael's lips. He giggled as Michael sleepily tried to match his movements, then chase his lips. "How're you feeling, love?"

"A lot better," Michael murmured before resting his head against one of the pillows under his head. "Like... I needed t'feel this relaxed. The papers I've been doing have made me stressed... But now I don't feel stressed. It's amazing."

"Any pain?" he asked. He knew Michael was getting achy at the very least before, so he wanted to make sure he got his dose right.

"Mm... No, the last of it's gone."

"Damn, that's powerful if Michael's not feeling any pain or stress that fast," Jenna murmured, probably more to herself, but Jeremy could hear it from the doorway.

"Told you it's strong stuff. And this isn't even half of what I usually release when I feed."

Jenna let out a low whistle. "How would he even act if you used all of what you'd use- Oh wow, those are slits. Not that it's a bad look on you. I just wasn't expecting for your eyes to go to slits."

Jeremy blinked. Oh yeah, that was a thing. "I think it happens to make me a better hunter? My vision gets better too. I don't need my glasses right now." He shifted so Michael was cuddled up to him and so he could press kisses to Michael's lips whenever he wanted. "As for him, if I was feeding properly, he'd be totally blissed out. Brainless and doped up on good feelings."

"Like... he wouldn't be able to do anything? Not even move or...?" As Jenna asked, she moved to sit on the outside of the fort. 

"'M right here," Michael mumbled.

"Yes you are, Mikey, but the adults are talking." Jenna patted his head, and Michael just huffed before falling limp against Jeremy.

Jeremy pecked his lips and that seemed to pacify him once again. "Nope. He _could_ move, he'd just not be able to want to. No brains at all besides what he's given via suggestions. Feeding makes the person suggestable, and that's _still_ not the most I can put into someone."

Jenna let out a hum. Jeremy was learning that Jenna was a curious person, though he never knew her true intent at some points when asking for information. Like right now, he wasn't sure if Jenna wanted to know this for curiosity's sake, for research, or some other reason. "Well, what happens when you put the most of this venom into someone?"

"Totally limp," Jeremy explained softly. "He wouldn't be able to move even if he wanted to. And his mind, well, it would be permanently altered. Addicted to venom, especially mine since they're all slightly different, and generally doing whatever it took to get bitten again."

"Oh. Yeah, I'd see why you'd never want to use your full venom properties then."

"It's referred to as making a thrall." Jeremy hummed. "They almost always end up getting turned, but they remain totally loyal to their creator. More so than the standard method."

"Which makes sense because of the methods used beforehand," Jenna murmured as she reached over and brushed Michael's hair out of his face a bit. Michael just hummed, clearly pleased by her doing that, but nothing else.

"Yeah. It permanently alters them forever." He sighed. "I'd never willingly do that to someone. Not so long as I had a choice." He kissed Michael's lips again, lingering to get a little comfort for the memories of when he did have to do that. Michael's lazy return of the kiss helped so much.

"Makes sense. You're a good person." Michael hummed softly, seemingly in agreement, as he rested his head back against Jeremy's chest.

"Well, I try to be," Jeremy sort of agreed, stroking Michael's hair. "It's been a rough time, but I do my best." He paused. "Moon's about to rise. I'm gonna strip off Mikey now."

"Here, hold on. It makes him feel better knowing that he didn't transform when nude." Jenna handed over a plain white tee and some basic gym shorts. "He's already wearing underwear he doesn't care for."

"Okay." Jeremy nodded. He wanted the transformation to be as comfortable as possible, so he didn't mind changing Michael. His added strength from being the world's most efficient hunter didn't hurt either, making it easy to maneuver Michael and get him undressed and put on his cheap clothes. Michael barely helped, but that was okay. That was the point.

Jenna took Michael's clothes and folded them up as Jeremy settled Michael down. "I always talk to him while he transforms, though I don't like looking. I did once and- god, I just don't like the mental video of it, at least not personally."

"It's hard to watch," Jeremy agreed. Bones breaking and rearranging and muscles forming, growing or wasting away. It wasn't pretty. Jeremy wouldn't leave Michael's side though; Michael wouldn't be physically strong enough to hurt him, and Jeremy had seen much, much worse during his existence. "But I'll manage. Hey Mikey?"

Michael shifted his head from the pillow he was now lying on to look up at Jeremy. "Mm?" He blinked a few times until his eyes stayed open.

"Hey there, love," he cooed. "That's right, eyes on me." Jeremy kissed his lips gently. "You still feeling good?"

He hummed and nodded as he leaned into Jeremy's hand while it cupped his cheek. "Yeah..." His voice was soft and sleepy.

"Good. Can you tell me something? I need to know _exactly_ what your favorite food is. Can you tell me that, please?"

Michael hummed for a second before responding, "Negimaki, either from Sev'lev or that nice sushi place downtown," and seemingly struggling to keep his eyes open with how relaxed he was.

"I see." Jeremy nodded. "How about I take you there for our next date? You can eat as much as you like, my treat." A pause. "You can close your eyes if you want."

As soon as he said that, Michael let his eyes shut. "That's nice... Y're really nice... So nice."

Jeremy let out a small, happy hum. "Thank you, Mikey." Another quick kiss to Michael's lips. "You're really nice too. I love you so much.... And you're smelling so much stronger now too. You smell just as nice as you are." He glanced over to Jenna, silently asking if he was doing it right by her standards.

She gave him a thumbs up before turning around, putting in earbuds.

"Mm, thank you. So sweet," Michael almost slurred out before he hissed. He curled up a bit, and Jeremy could see that the transformation was starting. A ray of moonlight was starting to make its way through the window.

Jeremy didn't look away, he just kept gently stroking his hair and murmuring out gentle praise and words of encouragement. Even if it was quite grotesque to watch, Jeremy knew that this was just the in-between phase and Michael would be fine afterwards.

The transformation took about a minute, and Jeremy could see Jenna flinch a few times in his peripheral vision. After the minute was up though, Michael was panting in the den, his shorts, underwear, and shirt ripped to shreds around, on top of, and presumably underneath him.

Jeremy quickly pulled the ruined clothes away, ripping any remaining fabric that hadn't been totally destroyed off of Michael's form carefully. He was careful not to touch Michael anymore than he already was, not wanting to startle him or overwhelm him. He knew transforming could be a confusing few minutes after.

"Hey love, you doing okay?" he murmured after a moment.

Michael's head sort of snapped to look at him, a lack of clarity present in his eyes. He didn't really seem to be present until Jenna spoke, to which he looked over at her. "Hey Mikey. You did really good," she assured him, reaching over and carefully rubbing an ear. "That was a longer shift than normal, and you did so good."

"Really good," Jeremy agreed, not reaching to touch him yet. Jenna was familiar, safe. Even if Michael felt so strongly about Jeremy, he was still new and unfamiliar. He could freak Michael out, which he didn't want at all.

Michael nuzzled against Jenna's hand before glancing over at Jeremy. His eyes were quite curious, but he didn't leave the comfort that was Jenna to investigate Jeremy. "He's normally out of it like this for the first few minutes. He never remembers the first few minutes after he transforms."

Jeremy nodded. "That's pretty normal. I'm still new to his pack, so he wouldn't be as comfortable yet if he's dazed." There was one thing he could do to help, though.

Jeremy shifted to lie down on his back, head bowed submissively as he let his neck and stomach get exposed. Michael's space, Michael's pack, so Jeremy would let Michael see he wasn't a threat. "If he doesn't remember right away, I'll show him I'm safe in a way his instincts will understand."

He could hear Michael sniff a few times before huffing contently. "I think he gets it," Jenna murmured. "At least, he gets it due to his instincts."

"I'm submitting to him," Jeremy explained, not moving. He was actually pretty comfy, and he was content to stay like this until Michael was more present. "Basically, I’m making myself vulnerable to show that I trust him and to give him full control. If he doesn't trust me, my most vulnerable points are exposed, so he could attack easily."

"Well, I don't think he's going to do that. He's not even looking at you right now, he's looking at me," Jenna said. "But he did seem to relax after he sniffed the air. Mikey should be mentally back with us in a minute or so."

"Yeah, well... I'm comfy so I'll just stay here." Jeremy tilted his head back to grin at Jenna, smiling when he saw Michael nuzzle against her. He was so cute, even in wolf form.

"He might want you to play, so I don't know how much longer you'll be able to be comfy down there for," Jenna warned as Michael happily growled due to her scratching under his muzzle.

Jeremy chuckled. "It'll be interesting to actually get to play with him." He grinned, shifting slowly to sit up. "I can actually keep pace with him when he runs, so he can get a good workout that way." And his apartment building was just on the edge of town, so they just had to go out the door and down one block to get to the play space.

As soon as Jeremy finished sitting up, Michael's head turned to look at Jeremy. His eyes had clarity, and his tail started wagging as he softly boofed.

"Heya Mikey,” Jeremy cooed, holding out his arms to offer cuddles.

Jeremy was then tackled down by Michael before he was smothered with loving werewolf licks. Well, only a few, but it still meant the world. Michael told Jeremy that he hated the feeling of licking as a werewolf.

Jeremy laughed happily, running his hands up and down Michael's sides. "Hey! I love you too, Mikey!" As soon as he was able, Jeremy pressed a kiss to Michael's muzzle. He started scrubbing Michael's ears, giggling when his tongue lolled out in contentment.

Michael happily growled, his eyes shutting as he leaned into Jeremy's hands. His tail thumped loudly as well.

After a minute or so of giving Michael cuddles (and beckoning Jenna over to join in again) Jeremy huffed. "Okay, time to head out, I think." He looked around. "Before we do, though, one question. Do you think this den is alright for you to sleep in tonight? I know you liked it as a human, but in wolf form, you still okay with it?"

Michael huffed and nodded before nuzzling his head against Jeremy, clearly happy. "I'd say he really likes it," Jenna commented, reaching over and petting Michael's head. He growled happily and leaned into her touch.

"I'd say so," Jeremy cheered. "Jenna, you put the toys and stuff by the door, right?"

"Yeah, of course I did," Jenna assured Jeremy before shifting and getting up. "If you don't mind, I'm just gonna sit and watch you two play. I still have classes tomorrow, so I'd rather not work up a huge sweat if I don't have to."

"Yeah, that's fine with me. But so you know, I did make sure to get all of your usual products, along with Michael’s, for the bathroom. It's fully stocked with everything." Jeremy jumped to his feet. "Hey, guess what, Mikey? I can run as fast as you can."

Michael looked at Jeremy somehow with disbelief as he got up, huffing and shaking his fur out. "Oh, don't doubt him," Jenna said as she handed a collar over to Jeremy.

Jeremy apologized and quickly slipped the collar on to Michael. "I like the hearts on it," he offered when he noticed Michael's embarrassment.

They all got ready and quickly left for the large, open area which was perfect to run around in. Jeremy took the collar off Michael and handed it over to Jenna. 

He sort of half squatted, giving off a playful vibe.

"Hey Mikey! Catch me!" Michael lunged, ready to tackle him, but Jeremy dodged easily.

Jenna sat down on the ground nearby, taking out her phone and watching on as Michael huffed and tried again to tackle Jeremy. Again, he failed, but that didn't stop Michael from trying. If anything, it egged him on.

"Come on, Michael, catch me!" Jeremy teased in a slightly whiny voice. He kept dodging Michael's jumps easily, though he did notice that they were getting faster. He could keep up, but he was starting to have to focus now.

Michael playfully growled as he went after Jeremy, seeming to start to predict some of his patterns. Jermey had to change things up a few times because, as Michael was getting going, he got close to pouncing on Jeremy a few times.

After a while, Jeremy wasn't keeping track for once, he decided to let Michael catch him. He moved a little too slow, and Michael tackled him to the ground. Jeremy started wrestling with him, play fighting while also being careful not to hurt him. Michael nipped at him but didn't bite as they rolled around together.

After rolling around for a bit, Michael had Jeremy under him. He bent down, panting happily, and licked Jeremy's face before bouncing back and off of him. He growled, bowed down low with his butt wiggling in the air.

Jeremy laughed loudly as he jumped to his feet, launching himself at Michael. God, this was so fun!

Michael managed to dodge him this time, growling and barking at Jeremy as he dodged yet another lunge.

"I'm gonna get you!" He launched himself at Michael again, not tapping into his true speed, but going much faster than any human could keep up with.

Michael dodged and tried to pounce down on Jeremy, barely missing him as Jeremy ducked out of the way.  
  


Laughing wildly, Jeremy tried another lunge, missing and barely dodging Michael's jump too. His next one had him run behind Michael, faster than the wolf could keep up with, and try pouncing on him from there.

With that, Michael turned to face Jeremy as he was pinned down. He looked up at Jeremy, barking and growling happily as he wiggled underneath Jeremy.

Jeremy rubbed at his belly, giggling, before letting him go. “You almost had me there a few times, Mikey.”

Michael growled happily up at Jeremy before rolling over and panting happily up at Jeremy. 

"I think he's starting to get tired. You two have been going at this for a while," Jenna said.

Jeremy nodded. “Wanna head back and get something to eat? I made sure to get lots of chicken which I cooked up before you arrived.”

Michael's ears perked up, and Jenna snickered. "Yeah, that's a total 'yes' from Mikey." She stood and stretched before handing Jeremy back the collar.

Jeremy took it and pressed a kiss to Michael’s muzzle, scratching him behind the ears as he put the collar on. “C’mon. Let’s go get you some food, then you can scent your den and make it properly yours.”

Leaning into the scratches, Michael growled, even if he still looked embarrassed because of his collar.

“Hey, no need for that. It looks handsome on you, and it’s only temporary,” Jeremy reminded him, standing up. “It’s off as soon as we’re inside again,” he promised.

Michael seemingly managed to pout, even in his werewolf form. Regardless, he stood up and next to Jeremy, rubbing his head against Jeremey's side.

Jeremy gave him one more scratch behind the ears before they all headed off back to Jeremy’s apartment.

  
  
  


It was weird not having Jenna there throughout his whole process, but he trusted Jeremy. Plus, Jenna had morning classes, so he didn't blame her for going.

Spending the night with Jeremy was also nice, especially in his new den. It was so comfy and cozy and Jeremy was so nice and sweet to him. God, he really loved Jeremy.

“Okay, so the den is all yours to do what you want with. I’d recommend you wiggle around in there a bit, though, get your scent on everything. It’ll make it nicer to sleep in,” Jeremy advised from his place outside the nest part of the den. “I tried to keep it as neutral smelling as possible for you to start with.”

Michael huffed to show Jeremy he understood before climbing in, flopping down, and rolling around in place. God, everything was so nice and soft and comfy. And the nest didn’t fall apart even when Michael rolled into the sides. Jeremy must have put a lot of time, effort, and care into building it for him.

“There you go.” Jeremy sounded like he was smiling. “Well, get comfy. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Wait, what? Jeremy was leaving? No! 

Michael whimped and whimpered, jolting right up and resting his paw against Jeremy. He couldn't go!

Jeremy blinked in surprise and sat back down. “What’s wrong, Mikey? I’m just gonna be in the living room watching tv. I won’t be far.” Why didn’t he get it? They were Bonded! This den belonged to both of them! So did the nest! They were supposed to stay together!

He kept patting at Jeremy's hand, continuing to whimper. Didn't he notice their smell? The smell he was giving off? Did he not want to be his Bonded? But he said he loved him.

Jeremy’s eyes widened a little and he sort of ducked his head submissively. “You want me to stay? In your safe place?” he asked hopefully. Oh, it wasn’t a rejection, Jeremy just didn’t know they were Bonded! He was trying to be respectful and nice to Michael, not reject him.

Oh, thank god. Michael nodded as he kept pawing Jeremy's hand, sure to be careful with his nails. Once Jeremy seemed to be shifting to come in, Michael scooted back in the den to leave lots of room for Jeremy.

Jeremy got himself settled, still moving slowly and almost hesitantly. As soon as he was lying down, however, Michael climbed back to the middle of the nest and put his head on Jeremy’s chest. Jeremy wrapped an arm around Michael, stroking his head gently. “I don’t actually sleep, you know. I’ll probably just zone out for a few hours...”

That didn't matter. They were together in their den and that was what mattered. Michael tried to get that across to Jeremy by nuzzling his head against his chest and managing to get one of his arms on Jeremy's stomach.

Jeremy giggled, relaxing somewhat. “Okay, okay, I get it. I’m wanted here.” He hummed. “Y’know... you smell different right now...” His hum turned to a mumble. “Smells nice...”

Was he able to smell the Bonding scent? Good. Michael nuzzled even more against Jeremy to try to get that scent latched on to him. He'd enjoy that for sure if he thought the bonding smell was nice.

Jeremy hummed happily, eyes starting to flutter and breathing starting to turn slow and deep. Was he falling asleep? But he said he couldn’t sleep. But then again, they were in their nest, which was meant for sleeping, and they were together in it. Double certain for sleeping.

Maybe he was the only one who could get Jeremy to fall asleep. Maybe. Jeremy deserved to sleep. With that in mind, Michael happily growled as he shut his eyes and started to drift off as well. 

They both deserved a good sleep together.

  
  



	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Lovelies! So! This chapter has some serious ups and downs. Lots of stuff happening, and just overall intensity.  
> Still, we get more Jeremy POV which is always good. Get to see more of that vampire unliving. Woo! Enjoy!
> 
> And now a word from my favourite person :3c
> 
> Hey guys, Ari here!
> 
> So, this chapter has a lot of shit that happens. Some is good and some is bad. Be prepared for the hurt.

Jeremy had helped care for Michael when he was transformed back and woke up. He helped him all day Thursday until he was called back. Jenna picked him up then, and Michael vegged out for a good portion of the weekend. 

He texted Jeremy when he was more coherent to the world, but he didn’t get any responses until Monday. It was a bit worrying up until then, but the mostly subdued pains and homework kept him from worrying too much.

The text was short, and it didn’t explain anything. 

‘I need to see you.’

Five words. Michael has a really bad feeling about this, but not because of Jeremy. For some reason, he couldn’t find any doubt about if Jeremy cared or wanted him. Something must have happened when he was in wolf form to reassure him. No, Michael was worried _for_ Jeremy.

Michael, checking the time, got out of bed and grabbed his keys. He sent a quick text, asking if Jeremy was at his apartment. The short confirmation was all Michael needed as he booked it out of the dorm and to his Cruiser. While abiding the law (because he couldn’t afford a ticket financially or mentally), Michael sped his way to Jeremy’s apartment.

Michael used the keys Jeremy gave him and let himself in. Jeremy was curled up on the couch, knees brought up to his chest and face buried into them. There was a notebook and pen on the coffee table in front of him. He didn’t react to Michael’s entrance.

“Hey, Remy, what’s wrong?” Michael asked as he shut the door behind him. He hurried over and sat down beside Jeremy once the front door was locked. “Can I touch you right now, or is touch bad right now?”

Jeremy lifted his head and Michael saw immediately that he’d been crying. Jeremy opened his mouth to speak, but choked on the words and ended up coughing painfully instead. He flailed in Michael’s direction, asking for a hug non-verbally instead.

Instantly, Michael held onto Jeremy, pulling him close before pressing a kiss to his head. “It’s alright, I’m here. It’s gonna be OK,” he promised as he scratched Jeremy’s scalp with one hand. That always helped to relax Jeremy.

Jeremy whimpered and leaned into the touch. He relaxed, slightly, but nowhere near as much as he usually would. This must be really, really bad.

After a moment, Jeremy reached for the book, ducking back to Michael’s hold a second later. He started writing.

“We got caught. I can’t talk to you.”

Michael read over Jeremy’s words before frowning. He had to have done something when he was a werewolf to have done this. God, he did this to Jeremy... but he’d make it right again. Somehow. 

“Well, you can’t verbally talk to me, but you can do everything else still, right? We’ll just take advantage of the loopholes.” Michael pressed a kiss to Jeremy’s forehead. “If you really wanted me to hear your lovely voice, you could sing for me. It isn’t talking.”

Jeremy’s giggle was wet and very weak, but it was something. “My singing is terrible,” he wrote.

“Oh, I highly doubt it. I’ve never heard it, and I’d say I’m the better judge of singing since you’re bias against yourself,” Michael said before resting his head on Jeremy’s shoulder.

“I’m not singing.” Michael could almost imagine the playful grumble from the slant of the words and the weak pout Jeremy was giving him. “I’m so sorry, Mikey. I’m sorry I got us caught.” Despite how long it took him to write the words, they were messy and almost illegible at points. He was really torn up about all of this, and he blamed himself.

“No, it’s not your fault,” Michael promised him as he pressed a kiss to Jeremy’s covered shoulder. “If anything, it was probably me unknowingly. I still don’t know so many things, and it’s fucking us over now.” He sighed before looking up at Jeremy. “Please, don’t blame yourself here.”

Jeremy’s hiccup of a sob meant his writing was a little broken in the middle. “That’s my last name.”

“What’s your last name? I said a lot of words and don’t know which one you’re referring to.” Michael gently squeezed Jeremy’s middle. “Was it... Fucking? Now? So?”

Jeremy sobbed out a little laugh again. “Heere.”

“Wait, that’s a last name? Oh, you must’ve gotten so many annoying puns. I am so sorry,” Michael said before kissing his cheek. “My condolences for all of the brain cells lost for dealing with those terrible puns.”

Jeremy giggled again, this one a little less wet, and he relaxed in Michael’s arms a bit more. He wrote down a question. “Do you know ASL?” On the next line, he wrote, “Can you sign?”

“Uh, I took it for four years in high school, but I don’t know how much I remember,” Michael said as he ran the hand that was scratching Jeremy’s scalp before up and down his back.

“I’m fluent,” he wrote. “Can you do some refreshers on it? Then we don’t need the paper.”

“Yeah, though I may struggle a bit at first.” Thank god for not wanting to take a spoken language because comprehending other languages and alphabets hurt his brain.

Jeremy nuzzled against Michael, relaxing even more. Okay, that was good. Michael could work with this, and he sure as hell wasn’t about to let Jeremy down. They’d be okay. 

A tap to the side of his arm brought Michael back to reality. Jeremy held up the book. “Can we go to the den please? I know it’s your den, but it helps me feel safe too.”

Michael nodded as he shifted a little so they could stand up. “Yeah, yeah. You made it, and you’re my boyfriend. You have custody of the den as well,” he told Jeremy before getting up, arms around Jeremy still, before walking with him into the den room.

Michael got them both settled, with him holding Jeremy for once instead of the other way around, and gave Jeremy a gentle squeeze. Jeremy wrote something out. “I feel safe in the den when I’m with you. I love you. “

“I love you too, Remy. I’ll make sure that you always feel safe in the den.” He pressed a few kisses to Jeremy’s face before shutting his eyes and relaxing. The den made him feel so zen... and also a little sleepy.

Michael got another tap, grabbing his attention. “I’m feeling sleepy even tho I don’t sleep. Are you doing something?”

“I don’t know. Like I said, I’m a bad werewolf that doesn’t know shit about werewolves,” Michael murmured before holding Jeremy a little closer. “Maybe we can nap together. That’d be nice.”

Jeremy nodded, which resulted in him nuzzling against Michael’s chest. He shut his eyes and set his glasses on the hidden shelf off to the side.

Michael moved his own glasses to that hidden shelf before shutting his eyes again. “I love you,” he murmured before tugging a blanket over them and letting himself fall asleep.

  
  
  


Michael stretched as he put down his pen, finally done brainstorming his essay topic and noting what research he had to do. Brooke and Jake did similar things barely a minute later, both giving off that sort of exhaustion that only thinking hard gave you.

“Done, for now.” Brooke groaned. “Can we have a break for a bit? Please?”

“Yeah, I’d say we’ve earned it,” Michael said while Jake nodded in agreement. “Do you guys have any good food in here?”

“Yeah, you just gotta tell us what you’re in the mood for,” Jake said as he got up to get snacks and drinks.

“Something unhealthy.”

Jake grabbed some chocolates and tossed them onto the table and some Doritos, before bringing over a large bottle of Mountain Dew Code Red and some glasses. “This is all I can be bothered to grab.”

Brooke whined from her chair. “Can you _please_ get me my LaCroix? Pleeease, Jake.”

“No because Jasmine took them all yesterday. She says they’re the sort of unhealthy she can’t condone.”

“Wait, what?!” Michael had never Brooke look so devastated or defeated until then. “But it’s seltzer water!”

“It’s also illegal in some states,” Jake argued, standing up and grabbing something. He handed Brooke a fizzing glass of pink liquid. “Here. Have the replacement. It’s pink grapefruit.”

Brooke scrunched up her nose as she looked the glass over. “What brand is this?”

“No idea.” Brooke scrunched up her nose again, clearly unimpressed, but she took a drink anyway. Her face shifted to something almost bitter as she put the glass down, as though she was annoyed that she liked it.

“In any case, I know something that will cheer her up.” Jake sat forward, grinning at Michael. Uh oh. “You’ve been releasing lovey-dovey pheromones for weeks. Who’s the lucky guy?”

“He’s not a student,” Michael managed to get out as he leaned back in his seat. “He’s newer to the area and a really nice guy. Jenna even approves of him.” Hopefully they wouldn’t ask a lot of questions (but he knew they would).

“What’s his name? Where’s he from? C’mon, Mikey, give us some details!” Brooke cried, clearly invested and cheered up again.

“His name is Jeremy and he’s originally from the UK,” he said as he flipped his hood up. “Those are details and I don’t need to give anymore, right?”

“Just two more things.” Jake smiled. “Is he treating you right, and does he make you happy?” Brooke nodded in agreement with Jake’s questions.

“He is and he does,” Michael said as he fiddled with his fingers. He made sure not to pick though because Jenna painted his nails. She did rainbow nails for him and he didn’t wanna mess them up.

“Good.” Jake nodded. Brooke poked Michael’s arm.

“So long as you’re happy and safe, we’re happy for you Mikey.” She grinned.

“Thanks, you guys,” Michael murmured, smiling as he grabbed a Hershey’s bar and opened it. “But, uh... Not now, but later, in case it happens... Can you tell me about werewolf love stuff? So I’m aware.” A few words and ideas bounced around in his head, vague snippets of memories from when he was a werewolf, along with things Jeremy mentioned. He needed to know what he was doing that he didn’t remember or just wasn’t aware of.

“Sure.” Jake nodded. “But, honestly, you’re better off asking Jasmine. She’s the only one who ever Bonded, and she knows the most.”

“I mean, I would, but she’s busy with the kids and work and stuff. I don’t wanna trouble her,” Michael said with a frown.

Jake nodded. “I can tell you what I know, but it’s basic. Normally, my parents would teach me, but...” They were on the run since Jake was in high school, so that didn’t work out. “Still, I know some stuff. And I’m sure if you have any more questions, you can shoot Jasmine a text.”

Michael nodded as he gave Jake a smile. “That means a lot. Thanks, Jake.”

"Enough chit-chat." Brooke clapped her hands. "We have more important things to do. Like stuff our faces."

“I can chit-chat between eating,” Michael argued before eating one of the bar pieces. Brooke just rolled her eyes dramatically before reluctantly drinking her drink and eating some chocolate as well.

"Then chit-chat." Brooke nodded. "What do you wanna chat about?"

“I was sorta just saying that to bust your nonexistent balls,” Michael admitted before Brooke attacked him with her long cardigan sleeves. “Hey! Don’t hurt baby!”

"Now now, children." Jake waved his hands between them. "Don't fight at the table. We are civilised beasts after all."

“Ehhh.” Again, Michael was swatted, but he laughed as he enjoyed his friends. Also technically his pack because they refused to not have him in the pack. He really loved them and was lucky that Jake was the one who turned him and not some other werewolf in another pack.

  
  
  


Jeremy shifted nervously in the plush seat of the coffee shop. He already had his hot chocolate (he’d developed a craving for them after the full moon) and was just waiting for Jasmine to arrive. She said she’d be able to stay until it was time to pick up her sons in a few hours.

He heard the little chime of the door open a few times before, finally, Jasmine came in and sat across from him in the booth. She put her bulky purse down and smiled at Jeremy. “Hi Jeremy. How are you?”

He relaxed a lot at that point. She came, and she seemed as lovely as before.

"Hi, Jasmine. I'm good, for the most part. How are you?" He considered telling her about what happened later, if it turned out that she was as nice as she seemed. He had his notebook and pen already out to write out what she needed to know, since he couldn't say it.

“I’m good. You had said you wanted to talk?” Granted, Jasmine agreed that she wanted to talk and ask things, but he was putting him above her. “If you need to gather your thoughts, I’ll go order a drink in the meantime.”

"Er, yes please. It's... a lot to figure out and I'm still not sure how to phrase some of the questions." He wanted to know a few things, but mainly about werewolf mating habits. Michael had been giving off some crazy scents recently, and he seemed to be affecting Jeremy even more than usual. He needed to know why.

Jasmine had a knowing look in her eyes as she nodded, getting up with her wallet. "Take all the time you need. Well, not a few hours, but you know what I mean." With that, she went to wait in line to order her drink.

Jasmine was sweet, and as she walked past, Jeremy caught her scent. It was floral, gentle, and familiar somehow. Her natural smell underneath what was layered on top, like the werewolf scent, tickled something in the back of his head. A faint, forgotten memory somewhere which was trying to resurface. Jeremy let the thought form slowly as he formulated his questions.

While he waited, Jeremy jotted down the questions. He got most of them written down, as well as some brainstorming as to what memory Jasmine's scent might be trying to resurface, when said person came back. She had a nice herbal tea with a pastry. "Do you still need time to think it over?"

"No, thank you. I think I've gotten it all figured out." He smiled. "So, before I get into the nitty gritty of my questions and such, how was the moon for you? It wasn't too stressful?" He was genuinely concerned about how it went for her. As much as he liked the idea of her mothering him, he also wanted to protect and look after her for some reason.

Jasmine shook her head. "No, I pretty much just look after my boys. I was born a werewolf and learned how to deal with each full moon easily. The boys are having some tough times learning and developing some aspects of shifting, but it's good besides that." She shrugged. "How was it for you?"

"Good," Jeremy replied honestly. "I spent it with Michael, and... playing with him was genuinely the most fun I've had in a very long time. I think he liked having someone who could keep up with him for once." He didn't mean to say that part, it gave away a lot, but he couldn't help it. Something about Jasmine was lowering his defences. He couldn't say he actually minded.

She just smiled and laughed as she blew on her tea. "That's great for the both of you. I know Jenna does her best, but she normally resorts to toys and tossing them. Not that it's a bad thing, but toys don't compare to playing physically with someone."

"No, they really don't..." Jeremy mused before sipping his own hot chocolate. "Anyway, I guess you know that I have some things I want to know. Michael doesn't know the answers, and being who I am, I can't exactly go and ask your pack." He was sure Jasmine already knew he was at least non-human by this point. It was something in her smile that told him so.

Jasmine nodded before sipping some of her tea. "I mean, yeah. I'm surprised that you managed to be with Michael. I'm sure your coven doesn't know about this."

So she knew everything and still was so calm and seemingly accepting of him. Jeremy relaxed further. "No, they don't. I'm using every loophole in the thrall to ensure I can be with Michael, but we've encountered some challenges and had to resort to... creative methods."

She raised a brow as she took a bite of her pastry, nodding to encourage Jeremy to explain.

"I... I can't talk to him. Apparently, despite my numerous precautions before returning to the nest, his scent still lingered on me after the full moon. The head caught wind of it and forbid me from talking to the werewolf who I smelled of." Jeremy sighed heavily. "We eventually realized we can get around this with writing, texts, and even sign language. I just can't speak to him."

Jasmine hummed, swallowing her pastry that she was now half-finished with. "If you two are Bonding, it makes sense that his scent lingered. It will remain stuck on you, though it can't be pinned back to you, so your head shouldn't catch wind. A werewolf will try to Bond and leave their scent on someone if they've chosen said someone as their life partner."

So Michael was doing the equivalent of a werewolf marriage thing? He wanted Jeremy to be his life partner? "Oh... Well I guess that does explain a few things..." Jeremy murmured, crossing off a couple of questions from his notebook. "Does... Does Michael know what he's doing? Because he doesn't seem aware of it when he's human, only when he's a wolf. He just says I've smelled extra nice these past couple of days."

"More than likely no. Since he's a puppy, especially one that was turned after puberty, he never grew up learning about what different things he could do were and what each thing meant. There was no real connection made in his mind either, so, until he's no longer a puppy, which won't be for another few years, there is going to be a disconnect between puppy and human, especially with recollection for when he’s a human."

Jeremy squirmed a little. "I... I want what he's offering subconsciously to me, but I'm not sure how to explain it to him without making it sound like a rejection." If there was an equivalent in vampire terms, Jeremy would be doing it as soon as he had permission. He already did as much as he could by claiming Michael as his donor, leaving that mark. It at least stopped any other vampires from affecting him or even feeding from him.

"Well, try writing down how you'd explain it to him and I can work with you to make it sound proper," Jasmine offered before taking another sip of her tea.

"Thank you." Jeremy shot her a grateful smile. "But... that can wait for a moment. I'd like to finish understanding things before I write out an explanation." He looked over his question list, finding that Jasmine was answering bigger chunks at a time than he thought. "Er, my main one now is... I've been... different since being with Michael. I'm not only developing cravings for human things." He held up his hot chocolate before taking a sip. "I'm... Well I slept for the first time in centuries. I genuinely slept, dreamed, and everything. That's not supposed to be possible anymore."

"Well, a werewolf's chemistry changes to best suit their partner. Michael's chemistry must be changing due to his instincts and subconscious on what he thinks is best for you. Have you been with a werewolf before when they've bonded?" Jeremy shook his head. "Well, with my husband, my chemistry changed and, years later, we figured out that it helped create more serotonin in his mind. My chemistry literally shifted to help my husband's depression."

Jeremy was taken aback. This bonding situation was no small matter. "That's genuinely amazing. I wish I could have had the chance to meet him." Jeremy could smell her longing and sadness. He knew that said husband wasn't around anymore.

"I think he would have found you to be sweet and have helped you boys both out with this. He might've even offered to fight your coven head," Jasmine said, smiling sadly before clearing her throat. "Anyway, yeah, his chemistry is trying to change you in whatever way he subconsciously thinks is best. I'd have to agree with his subconscious. You deserve to be able to sleep and enjoy food and dreams and all of that good stuff."

If it were possible, Jeremy would be blushing. "Thanks Jasmine," he mumbled, ducking his head a little. "It's... It's nice to feel like I'm alive again."

"I'm glad that you can feel that again." Her smile grew to be fond as he looked at Jeremy. "Are there any other questions on your list that you haven't asked yet? We can work on rewording what you want to ask Michael after."

"Er, just one." He peered at the list once more. "This is about you, though, instead of me." He took a breath. "Your scent... there's something familiar about it so I was wondering if I might have known one of your ancestors. What's your family name? As far back as you know, if it's not too rude to ask."

"It isn't rude. That would be neat to know, I guess." Jasmine finished off the last of her pastry before clearing her throat. "Well, I don't know where you originated from, but my roots are in England. My ancestor made it a rule that seems to have been upheld, as I'm proof of that, to keep our last name no matter what when we marry. It was something he came up with after his son and his son's fiance went missing." Wait... 

"My full name is Jasmine Alazine Heere."

Jeremy froze, eyes going wide. His gaze flicked all over Jasmine's face, picking out small details that suddenly clicked into place. The shape of her face, the faint freckles, the tiniest hint of brown in her otherwise blue eyes. All little details he had forgotten related to himself, and all the little details that everyone in his family had. Even her scent now had an origin. There were the same undertones as his dad had, the same almost floral smell that was kind yet somewhat sad.

He had a family. A _living_ family.

Jasmine was his family.

Jeremy's vision started to blur as tears began to fill his eyes.

Instantly, Jasmine came to his side in the booth, gently reassuring him as she held her arms out for him. "Hey, it's alright." Even the way she held her arms out for a hug reminded Jeremy of his dad.

Jeremy reached out to accept the hug, then hesitated and pulled back one of his hands, almost afraid to touch her, like she might disappear any second. This couldn't be real, _she_ couldn't be real and here and so familiar in all the best and most painful ways. He covered his mouth to hold back his sobs.

Panic danced across Jasmine's eyes for a split second before that reassuring, motherly aura filled them again. "It's alright Jeremy," she assured him, slowly offering her hand out to him instead of a hug. "Here, if a hug's too much right now."

"No, it's not that-" Jeremy blurted. "It's just-" He took a breath, trying to calm his sobs. "I didn't realize... It's been so long and I- I forgot." He knew he wasn't making any sense, but he could barely make sense of his own thoughts and feelings, let alone explain them.

He took her hand so slowly, then traced his fingers up along her arm to eventually cup her cheek, letting her hold onto him gently.

Jasmine's hand rested on top of his own, looking at him with worry as she ran her thumb against the back of his hand. She did lean a little into his hand as she seemed to figure out what to say. "What did you forget?"

"My own face." He laughed weakly. "The family traits. Your eyes..." He tapped the side of his glasses. "We match." After another deep breath, Jeremy finally managed to calm himself enough to explain. "My name is Jeremiah Noah Heere. I'm the son who went missing."

It took a few seconds for that to fully hit Jasmine. When it did, her eyes widened and she gasped, holding onto Jeremy's hand instead of just resting against it. "You-" She looked Jeremy over more intently now, leaning forward and taking in some details before letting out a small gasp. "You have my- No, my grandfather had your eyes. Exactly the same eyes, and my dad had freckles exactly like yours."

"Everyone has these eyes. It was sort of the trademark of being a Heere." Jeremy's voice was weak. "My father had them too, and my grandfather. And your natural scent... it's so similar to my father's. The same floral undertones."

Jasmine nodded as she laughed. "So, I'm helping to mother my excessively great uncle? That's not something I thought I'd ever say."

Jeremy had a small, weak burst of laughter. "I'm being held by my family. That's not something I thought _I'd_ ever get to say again." Jeremy had a living family member. Something hit him. "You have kids. You-..." He sniffled again. "You have a family." He was so damn proud now. 

His father must have had another child, sometime after Jeremy was turned, and they had kids and they had kids and now, centuries later, Jeremy was holding onto the first connection to his father that he'd ever had since being turned. He was seeing the living proof that his father lived on and maybe even managed to live happy.

"You have a family too." Jasmine sighed as she reached up and wiped away the tears from Jeremy's face. "I..." A lot of things must have been going through her brain, he could only imagine since it was the same for him. "My god."

Jeremy shut his eyes and leaned into her touch. "You're living proof that my father lived on. That he had a family. I... for so long, I was so worried he'd died alone, but now... He must have had at least _someone_ there with him. Maybe lots of someones. And you-" He sniffled again, his joy indescribable. "You're so beautiful and strong and I'm just so happy and proud to be related to you."

"I'm glad that you have words to say about this. I'm a bit speechless right now," Jasmine admitted as she laughed, albeit it was a bit wet. "Oh my god..."

Jeremy couldn't help himself. He scooted closer and grabbed Jasmine, tugging her gently into his lap and wrapped himself around her. He could feel her heartbeat and he knew that some of the blood which used to run through his veins also ran through hers. Jeremy melted against her, holding her tightly but also in a way that let her escape if she wanted to.

Jasmine didn't leave though. She just properly wrapped her arms around him, keeping him close, and letting him listen to her heartbeat.

"Are you doing that on purpose?" he asked after a while of just enjoying this. "Changing your scent, I mean. It's shifting to... I don't know. But it's making me feel nice."

"No, this is just naturally happening, I assure you." She hummed as a hand moved to run through Jeremy's hair in a soothing manner. "I'm just... happy. Surprised but happy." Jasmine even twirled some hairs. "My scent is shifting to calm you and relax you, I think. I do this with my boys. I'm happy this is happening, even if I'm surprised that it's happening."

Jeremy relaxed further, melting against Jasmine. "Well, it's working. M'feeling very relaxed and very happy,” he cooed, nuzzling against her shoulder.

"Well, I'm glad." Her head rested against his, and the longer strands of her brown hair tickled his face for a few moments.

Jeremy didn't mind. He was just happier than he thought he ever would be with someone who wasn't Michael. Jeremy had a family. He had a living, breathing family who wanted him. This was more than he thought he'd get after he was turned.

  
  



	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey lovelies! This chapter is... challenging. We get some good stuff, some less than good stuff, and some better stuff in the end. Enjoy!
> 
> And now a word from my favourite person :3c
> 
> Hey guys, Ari here!
> 
> So.... a lot more tension rises and more relationships are introduced, but not necessarily in the best way. You’ll see what I mean when you read. ;3c

Michael knocked on Jeremy's apartment door before he rocked on his heels while he waited. Jeremy texted him that he had something important to explain, something he'd rather write in person than over text. That was fine with him. His research paper had him banging his head against his desk. A change of pace and walking away for a bit would help him out of his slump.

Jeremy opened the door a moment later, grinning. ‘You can use the key I gave you,’ he signed slowly, slow enough for Michael to easily understand. He always made it as easy for Michael to understand as possible, since Michael's refresher course showed that he was very out of practice.

"I- Oh." Michael picked up his massive weapon that was his key ring and picked out the decorated key. It had pixelated hearts on it. "Right. Sorry, sort of slipped my mind."

Jeremy giggled and led Michael to the living room. He reached over and grabbed his notebook, turning to a clean page. “How are you, love?”

"Better. I was stumped on how to write a certain paragraph in my paper, so you texting me saved me from breaking my desk from banging my head against it so much." Michael plopped himself down on the couch before tugging Jeremy to sit with him. "How are  _ you _ ?"

"Good," he wrote, and Michael could see the joy in the penstrokes. "I learnt some really exciting things yesterday. I met Jasmine and she's lovely."

"Oh, yeah, I remember you telling me that you met up in Stop and Shop. What did you guys talk about? Did you gossip?"

"We're  _ related _ . I'm her great great something uncle." Jeremy underlined related so many times that Michael thought he might wear through the page. "I have a living family member, which means my father had a family after me which makes me so happy!"

It took Michael a second or two to process what Jeremy wrote. "Holy shit, seriously?" Jeremy was beaming as he nodded. "That's so amazing! We need to celebrate!"

"There's more." Jeremy poked him and shoved the book under Michael's nose to get his attention. "She helped me learn some stuff too. Stuff about werewolves."

"I can read what you wrote, even if your penmanship could use some work." Jeremy shoved him instead of the book, and Michael playfully whined. "Meanie. But seriously, that's cool too. What'd you learn?"

"She taught me about Bonding." Jeremy looked almost shy as he showed Michael what he wrote. "She helped me write something to show you too, since you don't know much about it."

Well, this hopefully saved him an embarrassing call to Jasmine... especially since her and Jeremy were now related. "Well, let me read what she helped you write."

Jeremy turned back a few pages and passed Michael the book. "You have Bonded with me," it started, "You did so in wolf form during the first full moon we knew each other for, and this last one solidified it. It means you have chosen me as a life partner, and I am very happy about this.

"Your body is producing a stronger scent to get it on me so I'm more clearly bonded to you, and your body chemistry is changing to best help me. It's why I can sleep and why I've been getting human food cravings.

"I am very happy about this, but I felt that you should be made aware so you know why everything is happening. I also want you to know so you can decide if being Bonded to me is actually what you want."

Michael had to read the note over a few times as he processed everything. It was... a lot, but it answered all of the questions Michael had. "I... Well, things make a lot more sense now." He laughed, smiling as he quickly rubbed his eyes. "Thank you for keeping me in the loop and yes, I do want to be bonded to you."

"I'm  really happy to be bonded to you. I would do the same for you if it were possible,” Jeremy wrote, looking up at Michael shyly.

That got another laugh out of Michael. “Well, maybe you can make up your own equivalent and do that. I’m up for creative interpretations.”

Jeremy giggled at that. "I'll figure out something."

  
  
  


Michael lied in his bed with Jeremy, cuddled close to him. They didn’t normally hang out in his dorm together since they had the apartment, but Michael was feeling lazy and wanted to play his Switch in his bed. Jeremy was fine with that, as evident by them cuddling with Jeremy running his fingers through Michael’s hair.

Speaking of his Switch, Michael wanted to grab it. He reached over to try and grab it, but ended up slipping slightly and cutting his hand open on the bed frame.

Jeremy stiffened instantly, hand stilling in Michael's hair, before he was on his feet, pressed against the furthest wall away from Michael. He kept signing. 'Are you alright?'

Michael hissed as his hand stung. It was deeper than he would’ve liked. He’d need to report this to his RA or something because of the bed hazard. “It hurts like a bitch, but I think I’m fine... I think...”

'I can't help you, I'm sorry,' Jeremy signed, shaking. His pupils were blown wide, not slitted yet, and Michael could tell he was trying not to breathe. His eyes didn't leave Michael's bleeding hand.

He went to say that he could patch himself up before the thought was literally halted in his mind. Michael didn’t need to patch it up, at least not yet. Jeremy could use some more of his blood. The chemistry he was producing could only do so much to help him. He needed his blood. 

Yes, he needed to help his Bonded.

With that thought in mind, Michael held his hand out towards Jeremy. Jeremy started shaking, eyes fixating on the small pool of blood starting to form, and he whined. 

'I can't,” he signed. 'I don't know if I can stop.'

Jeremy would stop when he needed to. He wouldn’t hurt Michael. They were Bonded. 

He insisted that Jeremy drank as he crawled closer to him, still holding his hand out to him. “Drink.”

Jeremy's eyes sort of glazed over as he stared at Michael's hand. He reached out his own shaking hand, taking Michael's carefully as he stepped closer.

The small pool of blood was lapped up before Jeremy even pulled out his fangs. Jeremy moaned softly at the taste before latching on over the cut and sucking gently.

The nice feeling Jeremy gave, like during the full moon, hit him. He wanted to relax, but Michael needed to be sure that his Bonded drank the blood he needed. It didn’t mean that he didn’t relax, but he gently guided Jeremy to get back on his bed and continue to properly drink from his cut.

Jeremy shifted them both, guiding Michael to sit on his lap as the hand he was drinking from was held so carefully and pressed to his lips. Michael couldn't help but relax, the beautiful feelings from Jeremy's bite mingling with the confusing but amazing feeling of knowing he was helping his Bonded.

Michael reached up with his free hand to card his fingers through Jeremy’s hair. He seemed so much more relaxed thanks to that action, especially when he scratched some places. Seeing Jeremy so happy and being helped made Michael smile.

Almost too soon, Jeremy pulled back, retracting his fangs and lapping at the cut to seal it up. Seemingly still caught in the gentle mood, however, Jeremy trailed kisses from the old wound all the way up Michael's arm, lingering on his neck, before kissing his way up to Michael's lips.

Michael was more than happy to kiss Jeremy when he made it to his lips. He pulled back though to press a kiss to Jeremy’s forehead. “You did so good,” he murmured before rubbing their noses together. “That’s going to help you out so much.”

"Mmmm, thank you,” Jeremy murmured, voice a little rough. It took a moment for either of them to realize that Jeremy had just spoken aloud. "Michael?" Jeremy gasped happily before connecting their lips, kissing Michael hard in his joy.

While kissing Jeremy back, Michael felt himself coming to the moment. What had happened? He vaguely remembered trying to go for his Switch, and now Jeremy talked to h- Jeremy talked to him! Holy shit! How did that happen?!

After a moment, Jeremy pulled back, beaming. "I can talk to you again,” he panted, his cheeks having the barest hint of red in them. "I don't know how, but I can." Jeremy kissed his lips again, pulling back soon after.

“I- I don’t know either,” Michael said after catching his breath. “I don’t know but you can talk to me again.” God, was he tearing up? Probably.

Jeremy rubbed their noses together. "I've missed this. It's been what, a week? Two?" Not long, that's for sure. Jeremy didn't seem to be able to help himself. He started trailing kisses along Michael's jaw and down his neck, pressing long, open-mouthed kisses there. 

"I'm not entirely sure why, but I'm feeling more in love with you than normal, my love,” he murmured, his voice vibrating the skin on Michael's neck. "I feel like I want to leave some marks. Can I?"

Shivers travelled down Michael’s spine as he craned his neck back for Jeremy. “Please do,” he encouraged as he wrapped an arm around Jeremy’s upper back.

Jeremy started kissing and sucking a sensitive point almost instantly, seeming to know exactly where to go for it. He nipped with his normal teeth, not enough to break the skin, but enough to leave a dark mark when combined with the kisses and sucks. He repeated this a couple more times, trailing kisses to his new location each time.

Michael couldn’t help but whine and gasp with each mark and kiss, eventually shutting his eyes as he felt bliss starting to overtake him. It felt a bit like when Jeremy bit him on the full moon. But Jeremy hadn’t bitten him... right?

No, he was certain that besides the buzz that came from where Jeremy had latched on and drank from him, Jeremy's fangs were away. Jeremy just seemed to be  _ that _ good with this stuff. It made sense, he had a long time to get good.

Surprisingly, the fact that he wasn't Jeremy's first lover didn't make him jealous or anything. If anything, he felt proud and smug because he had Jeremy all to himself now. Jeremy could have anyone he wanted, and he chose to adore and dedicate himself to Michael.

He couldn’t help but smile at that fact. Jeremy chose him and went through so many loops to be with him. Jeremy was amazing and Michael was really lucky.

And as Jeremy lavished love and adoration on to him, Michael decided to just lie back, enjoy it, and maybe figure out if he could return the favor next time.

  
  
  


Marshal had texted Jeremy about needing help. Jeremy was headed to Marshal’s apartment because, according to him, it was really urgent. Normally, he was a self-sufficient vampire, even if he was young by vampire standards, so this had to be dire.

Despite each room being considered private property and therefore protected from entry, Jeremy had  _ made _ Marshal, however unwilling he had been. This room basically belonged to Jeremy in the same way Marshal did as his technical thrall. Jeremy never enforced it.

"Heya Marsh,” Jeremy called, kicking off his sneakers as he came inside. "Where's the fire? Your text sounded panicked."

“Uh, the metaphorical fire isn’t here,” Marshal said from where he was pacing in his living room. He was tugging at his shirt hem as he stopped pacing and looked up at Jeremy. His eyes were red-rimmed and his face wet. “But, uh... God, it’s a mess.”

Jeremy instantly went into caring brother mode. "Hey, it's okay Marsh. Come here and tell me, yeah?" He quickly tugged Marshal into a hug, not using his influence, just being the big brother he'd developed into. "We're gonna work it out, whatever it is." Jeremy took another breath so he could say more when he noticed it. Marshal smelled of werewolf, and more than that, he smelled like he'd been  _ drinking _ werewolf.

Marshal tensed but didn’t move from Jeremy’s arms. “I’ve been dating this guy since we moved here. I- I didn’t know he was a werewolf until recently. I found out when he smelled the vampire scent. He saw me after my hunt, but he was fine with it. We kept dating and... and he offered me his blood, just a little, when I was hungry. He’s not dead, no, but...”

"He's weak and hooked," Jeremy finished. "You've been feeding from him, haven't you?" He didn't let Marshal pull back, instead using every trick he knew to help soothe the younger vampire. He ended up with fingers tangled in Marshal's long hair, scratching at his scalp.

“Only for a few days,” Marshal admitted. “I- I hadn’t had my fill from hunting since Dustin caught me, and I felt ashamed. He didn’t want me to starve myself...”

"Marshal..." Jeremy sighed. He should know better, but then, he wasn't even a full century old, and would have no way of recognizing the werewolf scent. "We'll figure this out. Is he safe, away from the coven right now?"

He nodded as he glanced away from Jeremy. “In a hotel room in town. I’ve been pampering him and- and trying to figure out what to do.” Marshal paused as he sniffled. “I really didn’t mean t’do it Jere, I promise.”

"Hey, it's okay," Jeremy murmured. "Werewolf blood... it's addictive, and god knows that they can just be attractive in the first place." He squeezed Marshal before pulling back and smiling up at him. "I can tell you really care about him, so we'll figure this out." He guided Marshal over to the couch. "Now, what's his name?"

“I- I said it earlier,” Marshal said. “Dustin. Uh, Dustin Kropp if ‘m gonna be specific...”

That was a member of Michael's sort of pack. "Okay, well as it so happens, you're not the only one dating a werewolf. You can't tell anyone else, least of all Squip." Jeremy did push his influence into that one. His secret was too important. "But yeah, they're from the same pack sorta. I... Dustin will know my scent, since I have my boyfriend mixed in with it. I need to talk to him, we need to get a video of that, and then we need to go see the pack."

Marshal nodded as he listened, taking a deep breath. “Uh, alright, that’s doable.” He paused for a second before asking, “Uh... won’t his pack want to kill me though?”

"Oh, they will alright." Jeremy nodded grimly. "Which is why I'm going with you. We have one shot at doing this right, and there's no way in hell that I'm letting you do it alone." He paused. "How hungry are you, by the way?"

“Uh... Not too hungry. Why?”

Jeremy sniffed the air before nodding. "We need to make a pit-stop before going and seeing your boyfriend. Slushies help dull the addiction somewhat, and they help keep the blood lasting longer in our systems. We're gonna drink some just to make sure. Plus, the sugar will help Dustin be more present if you've been feeding from him like a donor." He sighed. "This isn't gonna be easy, but I know we can make sure you and your boyfriend come out okay from all this."

  
  
  


The mood was tense and Michael was not a fan. An emergency meeting had been called, and everyone but the boys were there since they were in school. Well, the boys and Dustin. The meeting was about Dustin. He went missing, and Michael knew why because of a text he got from Jeremy when coming back from classes. 

This was  _ not  _ going to be fun.

Jasmine looked just as uncomfortable as Michael did, so she probably knew too. It made sense. Jeremy adored her and kept her up to date with any new developments in his life.

"Okay, so you can all see why we're here," Jake started, sounding grim. "Dustin is missing and I think I might know where he's gone."

"We've recently tracked a coven of vampires to an apartment block uptown." Brooke stood, joining Jake. "They're the cause of the string of disappearances, but Dustin has been missing for too long to be a standard case. We think he's been properly taken."

"But why would they want to take a werewolf?" one of Jake's roommates, Jamil, asked. "Aren't werewolves and vampires supposed to be enemies that stay away from each other?"

"Werewolf blood is addictive to vampires," Jake explained darkly. "They hate us, but we taste too good to just kill."

"Most likely, Dustin found one feeding, tried to take it out, and got captured as a result,” Brooke added. "Either way, we need to start planning a raid on their building."

Before anyone could say anything else, Jasmine stood and stormed out of the room, her scent strong enough for even Michael to pick up on the angry smell.

“I mean, we don’t  _ know _ that,” Michael tried, sitting up a bit in the loveseat that he was nestled in.

"They're the only ones who could take him, Michael." Brooke sighed heavily. "Dustin is a great fighter, vamps are the only ones who could one up him thanks to their speed and streng-" She cut herself off when the sound of the front door opening echoed through the room.

Michael's nose flared as he picked up on a very familiar scent combined with a very unfamiliar one. Jeremy was here.

"Thank you, Jasmine." Jeremy's voice was serious but kind as he walked into the room, head held high and arms raised in surrender. The young man with the long, black hair behind him was mimicking his pose. "We come in peace, if that makes any difference."

Near instantly, the pack got up and in a protective stance, protecting Michael mainly. Jake even looked ready to transform. "Both of you, sit by the closet now. Jasmine, come over here-"

"No. They aren't going to harm any of us, so I can stay right by them," Jasmine said, and oh god, the tension was almost suffocating him.

"Jazz, it's okay love," Jeremy murmured. "They're just scared. We'll be okay." Jasmine looked mutinous, but relented, heading over to stand with Michael. "Marshal? Do as he says. By the closet." The guy with long hair hurried over there, curling up and watching with wide, scared eyes. 

Jeremy didn't move, too focused on the pack leader in front of him. "We're not here to hurt you, Jake. We came here to talk."

Jake was not trusting him right now, there were so many indicators of that. "If you're here to talk, you go and join your friend by the closet," he insisted.

"Jake-"

"Michael, not right now," Jake said firmly and with a tone that had him shutting the hell up.

“The moment I do, you’re transforming and ripping our heads off. Literally.” Jeremy stood firm, somehow not cowering under the force of Jake’s glare. “You act like I don’t know exactly what you're going to do. I can smell it on you, boy.” The way he said it was almost condescending. Was... Jeremy  _ challenging _ Jake? Oh no no no no no, this wasn’t good at all. Challenges lead to fights which lead to people getting hurt or maybe  _ killed _ .

“Give me one good reason why I _shouldn’t_ do that to you when I can clearly smell that _that_ _one_ has Dustin’s scent all over him. How could you have the audacity to say that you’re here in peace when you brought _him_ here?” Jake barked as he glared down at Jeremy. “You are in _our_ domain, _our_ turf, and-“ Jake stopped for a second to sniff the air before he got angrier. “Why do you have Michael’s scent on you?”

“Because he’s mine.” Jeremy’s smile was icy. “He and I are Bonded.” Why was Jeremy egging Jake on? He was going to get someone  _ killed _ !

Jake was going to- Wait, why did he hesitate for a second? “Did you do anything to Michael to sway him unnaturally?”

“Unnatural? No.” Jeremy scoffed, lowering his arms. “Though I’d hardly consider biting him unnatural, would you? I’m a  _ vampire _ after all.” What was he playing at? Jeremy hadn’t bitten Michael until after they were Bonded.

Jake’s anger hit Michael like a truck. He couldn’t help but curl up and cower a little. Damn instincts. “Why you-“ 

In an instant, Jake had transformed into his werewolf self. He did not look sweet and friendly like he had the first night Michael met him with his snarling teeth and angry growls, especially when he lunged right for Jeremy, no!

Jeremy somehow sidestepped the sudden attack easily, arching an eyebrow. He reached out a grabbed Jake by the scruff, yanking him backwards and pinning him to the ground. With one hand on Jake’s stomach and one wrapped around his throat, Jeremy looked ready to go for the kill. Jake’s struggles got weaker as he realized there was nothing he could do.

Everyone else (except Jasmine and Michael, he was still cowering) had moved to help but stopped when Jake’s struggles weakened. What was Jeremy trying to do? Did he want to scare everyone into submission? That wasn’t Jeremy though, even if he looked terrifying with his blown slit eyes and how casually he had taken down Jake. Michael’s mind was too muddled with thoughts that conflicted his instincts of staying there and cowering like Jake wanted him to. He couldn’t figure out what Jeremy was doing.

When Jake’s struggles finally stopped, when he gave up with a small whimper, Jeremy sighed.

“Finally, you have realized you don’t stand a chance against me alone.” He closed his eyes. “You have a lot of fight in you, Jacob. That’s a good thing. The pack needs their leader to be strong.” Jeremy released him, his voice soft and calm. “You were very easy to goad though. You need to work on your temper.”

Jeremy shifted from being in a low, threatening crouch to lying down, head tilted back and arms under him. He was exposing his weakest points. It didn’t make sense, Jeremy had  _ won _ and every instinct except those linked to his bond were saying that Jeremy was supposed to kill or maim Jake now. “I yield.”

The surprise in the air was palatable. Jake’s surprise was obvious on his face as he stood up and shook himself out. He looked down at Jeremy, clearly thinking, before he stood over Jeremy and sniffed at his neck. 

Jake nuzzled against Jeremy’s neck, even licking the area once, before stepping back and sitting. He sneezed as he sat, watching Jeremy.

Jeremy relaxed and smiled, slowly sitting up. “Thank you, Jake.” He bowed his head submissively. “I never have done anything to Michael without his explicit permission, and oftentimes insistence. I love him too much to risk hurting or offending him,” he promised.

Jake nodded before looking between Marshal and Jeremy. Marshal kept his head bowed, not even glancing up from where he was sitting.

“He’s mine, and he and Dustin have been dating for a little while,” Jeremy explained. “Marshal got interrupted while hunting, and Dustin offered to be his donor to help him out.” Jeremy pulled out his phone and set up a video. 

It showed Dustin chilling in a fancy looking hotel room next to a very nervous looking Marshal. “Hey guys. I’m fine, this whole thing is a big misunderstanding.” Dustin sounded fine, just a little tired. “I asked him to take me since I knew you wouldn’t understand at first. I  _ promise _ , everything’s fine.”

“But I’m fine for now, Dustin,” Marshal murmured, looking at Dustin with worry and care. “You can go back now, even if going back to classes will suck and everything.”

Dustin looked over to Marshal. “Jeremy says that your smell is all over me. And since we didn’t bond  _ before _ my first donation, only a couple of days later, I’ll stink for at least a month. It’s safer this way.” He pressed a kiss to Marshal’s temple. “I wish you didn’t have to go with Jeremy for this. I know he can handle himself, but you’re still not totally used to everything. I don’t want you getting hurt if things go south.” They both seemed to forget about the camera entirely.

“I need to explain to everyone so they don’t get confused. If someone else explains it in my steed, it’ll give off the wrong impression. I need to take responsibility for what I did,” Marshal murmured as he took Dustin’s hands. “And you really can’t stay here. That’s why we need to talk to them. I don’t want you to accidentally become a donor. No one deserves that, especially not you.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Dustin sighed before looking back up at Jeremy. “You’ll take care of him, right?”

“I swear on my Bond with Michael.” Jeremy’s voice came from behind the camera. Dustin nodded and the video ended.

The room was stunned in silence for a moment before Jake huffed and looked over at Marshal. Brooke stepped in to translate, saying, “He said that you guys can get up and sit down, but some of us are still going to stand back.”

"O-of course. Thank you." Marshal scurried over to a lone armchair, hunched over and still nervous.

Jeremy started to walk over to Michael. Some of the pack blocked his way, clearly still nervous, but Jeremy didn't get upset.

"I'd like to go see my Bonded, please." His voice was soft still, non-threatening. Jake huffed and they stepped back, letting Jeremy through.

Michael finally felt himself able to move. He sat up, holding his arms up and open to Jeremy as he felt his metaphorical tail wag. Jeremy was alright, even though, by all means, everything should have been fucked up right now.

Jeremy practically fell into Michael's embrace, nuzzling against his chest happily. He hummed softly. "Hi Mikey. Sorry for outing us, but it was important,” he mumbled.

“It’s fine, I’m just glad you and everyone are alright right now,” he whispered to Jeremy before placing a few kisses across his face.

Jeremy almost purred, Michael could feel it. "Everything's okay. Everyone's safe right now." Jeremy quickly turned his head to capture Michael's lips in a small kiss, not pushing anything since this was the first time they were really among people they knew together. Or, well, Michael's sort of family.

The small kiss was as much as he could deal with. This was still a tense situation, just for another reason, and Michael was trying to calm down from what had just transpired. 

“We do need to talk about Dustin though, if we can interrupt,” Brooke said, voice softer than it had been as she sat on the table, Jake by her feet.

"Of course." Jeremy turned to face her, chucking a little as Jasmine ruffled his hair. "Not now, love. Serious time, remember?" he scolded fondly before she headed to sit down. "I'll answer any questions you have and we can come up with a solution together."

Brooke nodded as she kept her seat on the table, looking down at Jeremy and Marshal. “Can you explain more on the situation, everything that we can do to help and everything the video didn’t explain?” Jake let out a soft boof. “Both of you, please.”

"Dustin and I started dating a while back, when the coven first came to town," Marshal started slowly. "I didn't know he was a werewolf, and he didn't realize I was a vampire until he caught me during a feeding."

Jeremy squared his shoulders. "Dustin has been acting as Marshal's donor by his own request, but Marshal has been limiting how much he's taken. If it wasn't for Dustin's insistence, Marshal wouldn't have drank past the first one."

Brooke sighed from where she sat, crossing her arms over her chest. “He’s always too giving when it comes to people he cares for,” she murmured before Jake let out a low, though not threatening, growl. “How come you still drank from him though? Older vampires are supposed to have good self control.”

“He’s only been turned since the fifties,” Michael added. Jeremy said that much during the texts they shared. 

Everyone seemed floored by that, Jake almost losing his footing. “Wait, what?”

"I personally turned Marshal in fifty-three." Jeremy nodded. "So I can confirm that. I'm one of the oldest vampires in the coven, only beaten out by Rich, Derek, and Squip, the head."

"He didn't turn me willingly, I should add,” Marshal piped up. "But he's never used the thrall against me, so I've not held it against him in the slightest."

Brooke cleared her throat as she nodded. “Well, that’s good to know,” she said as she looked them both over. “Uh, for the sake of my own curiosity... How old  _ are _ you, Jeremy?”

"Four-hundred and fifty, I think. Give or take a couple of years." Michael had helped him calculate it a few days ago, so Jeremy said it with some certainty. "I was born and raised in London, and I died with my fiancée leaving a production of Taming of the Shrew."

Brooke used her foot to keep Jake from dropping to the floor. “Well, you look amazing for your age,” she said before clearing her throat. “Um, also... can you explain a donor?”

Jeremy's face darkened, and a look of shame made itself present. "A donor is a permanent blood donor. Most covens have them, and cycle through them each time they move." He looked away. "They're practically drowning in venom, to the point where they have no thoughts other than to get more, so they'll obey any order they're given in hopes of getting some. It's the ultimate addiction, and it can't be fully treated."

The atmosphere definitely darkened along with Jeremy’s explanation. “I don’t want to accidentally do that to him, so that’s why I asked Jeremy for help,” Marshal added. “I... I couldn’t control myself at first, it was addictive, his blood. I cleared my head today and, yeah... I never wanted this to happen to him. I don’t expect forgiveness either. I just want help.”

"He's fine at the moment." Everyone relaxed at that. "His body is working through the venom, and at most, he'll want to be bitten, but not to the point of obedience. It's just like getting high on some really strong stuff." Jeremy shrugged. "Enjoyable and desirable, but manageable. He's clear to come home by the end of the week in all honesty."

“Well, what do we need to do to help?” Jasmine asked from beside Michael.

"His biggest issue will be blood loss, so just ensuring he's eating the right foods and minimising exercise for about a week or two will be enough. Red meats, leafy greens, and fish if he can deal with it." Jeremy nodded. "He just needs to recover physically at that point." Even Marshal seemed to relax more.

“Is that it? What about getting him back? You said we had to wait a week, but Dustin wants to wait a month,” Brooke posed.

"He'll stink." Jeremy snorted. "Marshal's scent will be practically infused with him at the moment, and honestly I was struggling to be in the same room as him." He glanced over to Marshal, then over to Michael. "Vampires can leave a claim on someone they don't want touched. Marshal overdid his on Dustin, since it's his first time, so his scent is overpowering. That's why I said Dustin wouldn't be able to go home normally for a month, he would be given away from the get go."

Everyone nodded in understanding. “Marshal, you can find another source to drink from, right?”

“Yeah, of course. Plus, Jeremy taught me how to dull the need with red Slurpees. I like the blue ones better, but it helps so much.”

"Blue ones are totally rad," Jeremy agreed, "But red works best for us. It's how I got around not drinking for weeks at a time before meeting Michael." Jeremy's accent slipped again, this time taking on a slight southern drawl. It was cute.

“Ah, I can tell you’re older now,” Brooke murmured before nodding. “Alright, well... Sorry for attacking you-“ Jake whined. “Oh hush Jake, I’m apologizing for you.”

"It's fine." Jeremy waved them both off. "I goaded you into it, Jake. I'm sorry for that. I just knew that my one shot to ensure everyone could part as friends was to let you see first hand that I won't hurt you. Even if I could, I won't ever hurt you of my own free will."

Jake nodded in understanding before going to Jeremy and nudging him. He waited until Jeremy had pet him before growling contently and going to Marshal. At first, Marshal hesitated before sitting up and carefully reaching over. Jake growled happily and apologetically before nuzzling against his hand. He also let out a small bark.

"He wants to know if he can scent you too, so you and Jeremy can both be honorary members of our pack."

Marshal looked stunned, but he nodded slowly. Following Jeremy's lead, he got onto his knees on the floor, tilting his head back. Jake sniffed his throat before licking there and shifting forwards, rubbing their necks together. Jake proceeded to sort of curl around Marshal, rubbing and nuzzling as he went. Marshal giggled softly before flopping onto his butt as Jake sat down and licked his cheek.

“I think he’s found a new pack baby,” Michael teased before resting an arm over his head. “Oh, woe is me.”

“Nah, he’s older than any of us,” Brooke assured him. “You’re always going to be the baby.”

“Damnit.”

"Marshal’s a baby to me." Jeremy chuckled, letting Jake scent him now. "He's my baby."

"Does that mean we're unofficially related to him?" Jasmine asked with a grin. "Can I adopt him too?"

“I mean, I guess you can adopt me,” Marshal murmured as Jake finished scenting Jeremy. Jake then came over and just rested against Marshal. “Also, you’re very comfy.” Jake huffed in thanks.

Jeremy chuckled. "You have his permission, love. Go for it." Jasmine cheered and went over to sit on the other side of Marshal, hugging him. The vampire looked like he would be blushing if he could be. 

"Oh, by the way Jake,” Jeremy piped up again after a moment, "I have some pills which might help you transform back sooner. They're just painkillers, but the wolfsbane in them suppresses the werewolf gene so you can force the change back."

“Wait... I know I’ve never seen you transform when it wasn’t the full moon, but can’t you transform yourself back when it isn’t the full moon?” Michael asked Jake, though Jake shook his head. “Wait, what?”

"A head of a pack can force the change if his pack is big enough," Jeremy clarified. "But they can't do the same in reverse, they have to wait for moonset the next day. It's to give them the best chance of protecting their family in a dangerous situation." Brooke shot him an impressed but confused look. "I dated a werewolf about a century and a half ago. It was about as serious as I could manage back then, but we never got to, like, Bonding or anything."

Brooke nodded in understanding before taking the offered pill bottle. “Well thank you so much, Jeremy. Also, I’m not holding you hostage anymore. I can smell how eager you are to get back with Michael.”

Jeremy grinned and ducked his head, embarrassed. "What can I say? He's got me hooked." Since he was able to, Jeremy came back over to Michael and climbed into his lap. Michael held him close, enjoying the new smell now layered on his usual ones. The same smell as the rest of Michael's werewolf family. If Jake was accepting them into the pack, maybe Michael needed to consider joining properly.

  
  



	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey lovelies! So this chapter has some sad stuff in it, including explaining why one specific, beloved, character isn’t featured. It also gets steamy and a bit meta, so if you get lost, you should check out some of our other fics. Enjoy!
> 
> And now a word from my favourite person :3c
> 
> Hey guys, Ari here!
> 
> So this is a sad, exciting, and interesting chapter. Forewarning: there are references that happen in this chapter that you may not get if you haven’t read our other fics.

When Michael had called Jeremy, asking if it was cool that he visited, he was very surprised to hear how sad Jeremy sounded. His voice, usually vibrant and emotional, was muted, almost dull. Still, he had given permission which meant Michael was going over. He could find out exactly what was wrong when he got there.

He found Jeremy sitting in the den room, on the bed. He was looking at a ring, studying it so intently he didn't seem to notice Michael enter. The ring was beautiful, a lovely silver band with leaves engraved on it. There were no gemstones on it, but it was clearly very, very old and very well loved.

“Hey Remy,” Michael said from the doorway, not wanting to walk in and intrude directly on this moment, at least without warning or permission. “Would it be alright if I sat here with you? I brought my fuzzy otter blanket that you like.”

Jeremy jumped, tearing his eyes from the ring. "Oh, hey Mikey. I... wasn't expecting you to be here so fast." He hastily put the ring back into the box on the bed, as if trying to hide it. He was so careful with it though. "Sure, you can sit with me anytime." His voice was a little rough with unshed tears.

“I text you half an hour ago,” Michael pointed out as he walked over and sat beside Jeremy. He unfolded his blanket before tossing it over Jeremy mainly. Some of it rested against Michael’s shoulder closest to Jeremy. “What’s going on?”

Jeremy spluttered for a second, stumbling over his words to come up with an answer, before he sighed. "It's... this is a pretty important day for me. Not in a good way." He looked away. "It's the day I killed my best friend." His voice was barely a whisper, heavy with guilt, sadness and regret. Also, Michael could detect a touch of anger there too, but it was outclassed by the sadness.

Michael couldn’t help his aching heart as he held his hand close to Jeremy for him to hold onto. “Well, I’m glad I’m here with you for that,” he admitted. “If I can be here with you today, to help in any way that I can, then... yeah.”

Jeremy took his hand and squeezed. "I... I never told you about how I got turned, did I?" he asked. Though the two topics seemed totally unrelated, but Michael had his suspicions.

“You never told me,” Michael confirmed as he started rubbing his thumb against Jeremy’s knuckles. “Do you wanna lie in our den while you tell this?”

Jeremy nodded and let himself be guided to the den, curling up with his head resting on Michael's chest.

"I guess I'd better start with something important. No one knew I was trans. Everyone knew my dad had a daughter, they thought she died and he adopted a son from one of his cousins to cope. Only he and my best friend Christine knew." Jeremy's voice had a sort of distant quality to it. It was clear he was already losing himself to the memories as he kept talking, "When it was just her and me all the time... well it wasn't surprising that we eventually fell in love and decided to get married."

Michael just hummed and nodded, not wanting to take away from Jeremy’s story. Instead, he shifted to mess with his hair a little as he held him close with his other hand.

"We were happy. I... I loved her so much and I was ready to live the rest of my life with her. I wanted to grow old with her..." He sighed heavily. "But then... It was a month before the wedding. We were taking a break from the planning to go and see the newest playwright who had appeared in London. Christine loved going to the theatre, and I was never one to deny her anything."

Jeremy sniffled softly. "We saw a guy collapsed on the ground as we were leaving the play. I thought he was hurt, so I went over to help him. I don't remember much else besides pain, then bliss, and Christine screaming."

Oh. Oh no. “Oh Jeremy...” He couldn’t help himself, he could tell Jeremy was about to cry and could see the tears forming. Michael moved the hand from Jeremy’s hair to gently wipe away his tears.

Jeremy forged on, seemingly determined to finish his story. "When I woke up, I was in a dark place. I could see perfectly, though, even if it was still as fuzzy as normal. I didn't have glasses back then." He sniffed a small laugh. "I was so thirsty, and I was struggling to breath. What air I could take in, I smelled something delicious. Somehow I knew it would help. So I crawled over and drank until everything stopped hurting." He sobbed. "I drained her dry." His voice cracked and he devolved into tears.

Michael pulled Jeremy closer, gently comforting and coddling him. He needed this right now, needed the comfort of a loved one. “You didn’t know. It’s not your fault, it’s your coven head’s fault. It’s Squip’s fault,” he assured Jeremy between gentle kisses to the top of his head.

"I didn't know, I promise I didn't. I didn't realize until after,” he whimpered through his tears. "I never wanted to hurt her."

“I know that you wouldn’t ever want to hurt her. You wouldn’t have done it if you knew,” Michael echoed as he cradled Jeremy against him.

Jeremy didn't speak again, he just cried and clung to Michael and held the ring box close. Michael could guess who that ring belonged to now. It hurt his heart to know how much Jeremy was suffering because of this.

There was no real way, as far as Michael knew, to give closure to this. Today would just be a day for mourning, which Michael would gladly participate in. Jeremy and his deceased fiancé deserved that much at the very least.

Eventually, Jeremy's tears slowed, then stopped. He didn't shift away from Michael's hold, just lay there whimpering occasionally. "You would have loved her, Mikey,” he mumbled after a moment. "She was weird and quirky and... she was shy with people she didn't know, but loud and wild and proud when she was relaxed with you. And she was unapologetically herself. You would have loved her and she would have loved you."

“If you loved her, I know that I would have too,” Michael told him as he scratched against Jeremy’s scalp. “If it doesn’t hurt you too much to do, I would love to hear about her.”

Jeremy nodded and launched into a story about Christine and Jeremy pretending she was giving birth to a rock in the middle of the marketplace.

By the time Michael fell asleep that night, he was sure he loved Christine too. Not in the same way as he loved Jeremy, or even the pack, just a sweet, caring way. A Christine way.

  
  
  


Michael knew he was early. Moonrise wasn't for another forty-five minutes, and he wasn't due for at least half an hour, but he needed to get there early. The slushies needed time to be made.

Since it was being thirsty that Jeremy really struggled with during the moon, no matter how much he drank, Michael decided that having an area dedicated to sorting out the sugary beverage would be a good thing. Plus the sugar would help keep him going when he was in sleepy mode.

Michael let himself in and found himself face to face with a topless Jeremy in the kitchen.

"Oh, hey Mikey, you're here early."

Oh god, he was really good looking shirtless. Michael also felt happy and a little bit of longing of the scars Jeremy had on his chest too, though it was mainly happiness. “I brought something, and it needs time to get started,” Michael said as he unzipped his backpack and put out the slushie maker.

"Sure.” Jeremy beamed. “Is over here alright?" He parted the counter next to him which he examined carefully before nodding. "It's got an outlet next to it and everything." Jeremy paused as Michael got closer. "Something's got you happy. What'cha thinking about?"

Michael let himself smile after he nodded and as he plugged in the slushie maker. “I just... I haven’t seen your scars before. I’m happy to see you closer to how you want to be.”

"Oh!" Jeremy looked down and brushed his fingers along the scars. "Yeah, it's... It's made things better. I love having this." He cleared his throat. "Anyways, I'm usually topless during blood moons. If I'm not, I usually end up with ruined tops from blood stains, or I rip it somehow. Is that alright? If not, I can get a robe on."

“Oh, no, it’s fine,” Michael assured him as he went to read over the instructions. It had been a while since he made a slushie. 

As he was reading though, he glanced up at Jeremy. “Uh... Would it be better if I have on a shirt I don’t care about or, uh... be shirtless?”

"That's up to you, love." Jeremy had the blushy look on his face again. "I have no problem with either, and I'm usually very careful, so you can choose whatever is most comfortable for you." He stepped closer and pecked Michael's cheek. "I do know that you'd look so handsome either way, and I'm probably gonna be all over you as soon as moonrise hits."

Michael squirmed a little as he looked down at the slushie maker. “Um... Could I go figure out what I wanna do while you help get the slushie maker started? I have flavorings and stuff too.”

"Sure!" Jeremy accepted the instructions and started to skim through them. "I've got this handled. Just remember, you're doing me a favor, so the moment you're uncomfortable, you're welcome to bug out and leave. You don't have to force anything."

“No, I know. I wanna be with you, but I just need to figure out what’s most comfortable for me,” Michael said as he set out the flavorings. “I’m gonna go to the den room since my stuff’s all there, I’ll be back.”

"Sure thing, hun." Jeremy grinned. "I'll be in the living room if I finish this up before you're done."

With a nod, Michael hurried to the den and shut the door. Now, Jeremy had to have seen him nude twice. The first time was when he helped change him before he transformed, and the second time being when he turned back to being a human. But a quick look was different than all night, especially since he wasn’t a fan of his own body. Well, he was fine with his chubbiness, just not his boobs. They were annoying and too big for comfort (any size was too big, but his cup size was irritating).

Jeremy's assurances did help to relax him, though. There was no pressure for him either way, which made his choice easier. Jeremy was just so sweet and considerate, and he always tried to put Michael's comfort first.

With that in mind and the thought of blood being spilled in a messy manner, Michael changed into pj shorts, a sports bra, and a large, baggy tank top. Yeah, this would work out well. 

After reaffirming that with himself, Michael left the den and checked to see where Jeremy was.

Jeremy was indeed on the couch like he had predicted, relaxing with a sort of lazy ease Michael had never ever seen from him before. It was different from him being sleepy, this was like he was drugged. He grinned when he spotted Michael.

"Heya handsome. Get your cute butt over here so I can cuddle you and still remember it." He made grabby hands in Michael's direction, glancing at the slightly open window and nodding before focusing on Michael entirely.

“Alright, alright, I’ll let you use me for cuddles,” Michael said with a teasing smile before walking over and flopping down on the couch and Jeremy.

Jeremy instantly pulled him close, nuzzling into the crook of Michael's neck with a happy sigh. "You're so beautiful, love. So gorgeous and handsome. I love you so much." His hands trailed up and down Michael's sides and back lovingly, stopping to lightly squeeze occasionally, the action almost possessive.

The touches and light squeezes made him feel loved, and he found his instincts liking the possessiveness that his actions portrayed. “I love you too, Remy. You’re breathtaking,” he murmured as he just rested his arms around Jeremy’s waist.

“I guess I’m not a  _ total _ goblin,” he conceded with a chuckle. “I’d still rather see you every day than get to see my own face again.”

“What? No, you’re not a goblin! How dare you insult my boyfriend,” Michael cried with not much volume or intensity. “I allow for no shit talking of my boyfriend.”

“Alright, alright! I’m sorry.” Jeremy genuinely laughed at that, pulling back to grin up at Michael. “I stand by what I said, though. Seeing you is well worth not seeing myself.” He kissed Michael’s nose.

“I still think you should be able to see yourself though,” Michael murmured before resting his head on Jeremy’s shoulder.

“Eh, maybe one day technology will go far enough that it can override my age.” As vampires got older, they stopped showing up in reflections and in pictures and video. Jeremy was basically invisible, just a sort of faint blur. “Seeing some of my favorite features from my face on Jasmine’s face is enough for me.”

“Nooo,” Michael whined before slowly stopping, Jeremy’s continued motions relaxing him. He didn’t know why he was such a fan of this form of cuddling tonight, but he was melting because of it. Metaphorically melting, of course.

Jeremy chuckled, before gasping and shuddering. “Oh, it’s starting,” he mumbled, pressing a kiss to Michael’s neck. “Remember, feel free to push me off at any time, and call someone if you wanna leave. But as soon as the moonlight comes through the curtain, I’m gonna be so far out of it, I may as well be in space.”

“Alright, I’ll keep that in mind,” Michael assured Jeremy before happily humming at another kiss placed to his neck. “I might get up and see if the slushies are ready so I can get one in you.”

Jeremy whined softly, clearly not wanting to let go, but he removed his arms and carefully helped Michael stand. “I’ll be here.” He grinned.

“That’s good, I’d hope so.” After giving Jeremy one more smile, Michael went into the kitchen. 

It didn’t take too long to get a big slushie ready for Jeremy. He got a good cherry flavoring for the slushies, though he got a green apple one for himself to try. Michael left the kitchen with both cups of slushies in hand. “Hey Remy, I got the goods.”

Jeremy was on the couch still, lying totally boneless where he had been before. Gentle moonlight was lightly illuminating his face, which was slack and dazed. Even his eyes were unfocused as he stared at the window. 

“Y’know, the moon looks like a giant, white cookie,” he slurred. “And it looks like someone took a bite out of it most of the time. It’s weird, but this sorta moon is perfect for magic transfers.” His accent was weird, and he never looked away from the window once. In an instant, he blinked and was back to a sort of normal face. He was still boneless.

“I mean... I guess so?” Michael said as he walked over and sat down beside Jeremy. He put down his own slushie before poking Jeremy’s cheek with his cold finger. “But you need to sit up now and drink your slush. I made it just for you.”

As ever, Jeremy didn’t react to the temperature, but he did look up at Michael. His whole face lit up and he scrambled to sit properly, scooping up Michael into his arms without spilling the slushie somehow. “Mikey! You’re here!”

“I am, and so is your slushie,” Michael said around a slight laugh. “Before anything else, please drink it.”

“Oh thank  _ god _ .” Jeremy groaned happily, taking the slushie from Michael with one hand. “I was so thirsty.” He started drinking it, downing the whole thing without pausing.

“And we can make many more of those for you if you want them,” Michael said with a nod before drinking a sip or two from his own cup.

Jeremy set the cup down on the side a moment later. “That was good, but not enough.” He was looking at Michael hungrily. “Can I maybe have a little taste of you later?” Well, how unusual. Jeremy had warned Michael that he would be demanding and selfish, but here he was asking permission in a downright flirty way.

“Yeah, you definitely can,” Michael permitted as he felt his cheeks warm up. He wasn’t expecting this... not that it was a bad thing.

Jeremy’s hum was almost a purr, and he leaned up and started pressing slow, sensual kisses to Michael's neck, lingering on the sensitive spots. “I can already tell that you’ll taste amazing. Your smell alone is divine, enough to drive a man mad.”

Jeremy’s sensual kisses were enough to drive  _ Michael _ mad. Something in him was reacting to Jeremy like this, but he wasn’t sure if it was him, his instincts, or something else. “Oh, is that so?”

Jeremy’s hands were back on Michael’s body, roaming and squeezing and massaging as he kept up those amazing kisses. 

“Mhm.” He hummed. “You smell of a temptation, a siren song luring me to the stormy depths and I, for one, follow willingly and with my eyes open.” A small lick, then Jeremy started sucking lightly on Michael’s pulse point, leaving a mark.

Michael couldn’t help but gasp at that, shutting his eyes as Jeremy’s small and light movements with his lips was making  _ him _ mad right now. “That- that’s nice,” Michael murmured, gasping when Jeremy’s hand ran under his tank top. The coolness of his touch and how his hands practically danced and pressed into and against his skin made him crazy. He needed more.

That was something Jeremy seemed very happy to give, since he started drawing patterns along Michael’s back, careful not to go high enough to touch Michael’s sports bra. His kisses turned tougher, quickly finding each and every sensitive spot and leaving dark bruises in his wake. The small groans he was releasing, as if this were just as good for him as it was for Michael, just heightened everything.

Michael managed to move his hands, reaching up and resting against Jeremy’s sides as he took a few deep, shaky breaths. God, he didn’t know how long he’d be able to handle this all for. Was he also reacting to the blood moon?

Maybe. Or maybe he was just reacting to Jeremy the way Jeremy usually reacted to him. Either way, Michael was feeling needy but so much better than he could ever remember.

“Look at me, my love,” Jeremy whispered, pulling back from Michael’s neck. Michael did so, barely able to keep his eyes open from the overload of sensations he was getting.

Jeremy’s eyes were blown wide and dark, hungry, but not for blood. Michael could barely look away, even without Jeremy’s compulsion affecting him. He couldn’t help himself as he leaned down and connected their lips. This seemed to be exactly what Jeremy wanted, since he groaned happily and started coaxing a Michael to move their lips together.

Michael reached up, cupping Jeremy’s cheeks as they kissed. They easily found a rhythm to move their lips together to, groaning every so often as they really got into the kisses. They only broke away to catch their breath, and every time they did that, Jeremy caught Michael’s gaze. Jeremy seemed to just be getting hungrier and hungrier, and that was rubbing off on Michael. He couldn’t get enough of Jeremy’s lips, the taste of him, and anything and everything Jeremy.

Once Jeremy saw Michael had caught his breath, he forced them back together, running his tongue along the seam of Michael’s lips, asking sweetly for entry.

As soon as it was granted, Jeremy’s tongue found its way into Michael’s mouth, exploring and rubbing and claiming every inch, fogging Michael’s brain with how  _ good _ it felt. He could barely focus enough to continue his own loving touches, so consuming was the feeling of being lovingly taken by Jeremy like this.

Michael only focused on moving his lips together against Jeremy’s when their lips started moving again, and he realized Jeremy’s tongue wasn’t in his mouth anymore at that point. He did his best to try to give the good feelings he was receiving back to Jeremy, but he wasn’t sure how good of a job he was doing. Things were too fuzzy and cloudy and everything good. Did that make sense? Who cares!

Only once he was resting back against the couch back did Michael realize that Jeremy moved them. And he only realized he wasn’t being kissed when he started panting.

Jeremy hovered above him, eyes still dark and hungry. He was actually panting this time, shivering slightly too as he was seemingly trying to calm down a little. “Just a moment, my love, or I’ll crave to taste something sweeter still from you, and I know that you normally would not enjoy it.” He pressed a quick kiss to Michael’s lips. “I’ll continue lavishing you in my love once I’m certain of my self control.”

Michael managed to nod as he blinked up at Jeremy, even if he didn’t know what exactly Jeremy was referring to. If Jeremy didn’t think that he’d want it and was trying to be nice, then he’d go along with it. He was so sweet. “Can- can we please- can you please feel me a bit more? When you’re calmer. Please.”

Jeremy’s chuckle rumbled deep in his chest. “So desperate, my love. Of course I can indulge you,” he purred, ducking his head back to Michael’s neck and begging to trail kisses around there. Instead of going up to his lips like before, though, he went down, past Michael’s collarbone and making a jump to lifting his shirt and kissing along his stomach. His hands roamed and explored, eventually settling to hold tightly onto Michael’s hips as Jeremy worked his way back up. Slowly.

Oh god, Jeremy was going to be the blissful death of him. Not that he minded. Michael adored him. He felt so brainless right now, but in the best way possible. Honestly, he had no clue that he could feel so good just because of another person.

Jeremy shifted to straddle Michael, tucking himself into the crook of his neck when he reached it again, and just waiting. His hands even stilled where they had been running up and down Michael’s arms.

“You’re mine,” he half purred, half growled. It was a celebration and a possessive reminder and Michael loved it. “Only mine. My Bonded. My mate. My  _ Michael _ .”

Michael hummed in agreement as he focused on Jeremy. “‘Nd you’re my Jeremy,” he murmured- no, he was slurring. Well, he slurred that up as he smiled up at his bonded.

Jeremy returned to Michael's neck, resting his head in the crook and lazily kissing there. "My treasure. My Angel. My hero. My Captain." He was just cooing out all these little pet names between kisses, most of which made no sense but Michael didn't mind. They felt right somehow and Jeremy's gentle love just kept him foggy enough to not feel the need to think.

So he didn’t think about it. He just let all of the names and Jeremy’s gentle gestures and touches keep him blissed out. He did manage to murmur out a few pet names himself, but he didn’t even remember himself what he said after he said them. Ah well.

After so long of Jeremy’s now gentle adoration, Michael was certain he’d happily do just about anything Jeremy asked. He didn’t have the mental capacity to really think, and he didn’t want to.

Jeremy whined softly, but it seemed like he was trying to hide it. He kept himself firmly tucked into the crook of Michael’s neck.

Michael managed to shake himself to enough to look down at Jeremy and gently nudge him. “Whuh’s wrong?”

“M’so thirsty,” Jeremy whined. “But I don’t want to leave you to go get more slushie.”

Oh, well he had two easy solutions for that. “Well, we can go get ‘em or you can drink fr’m me.”

Jeremy was silent for a moment. “Forgot I could do that. Forgot I was a vampire.”

Michael couldn’t help but burst out into a fit of giggles at that. “Well, you can. Which d’you wanna do?”

Jeremy nuzzled closer. “Y’smell better than a slushie. Wanna have you.” He pressed a lingering kiss to Michael’s pulse, teeth lightly scraping. Not fangs, just his teeth still. “Please. Can I?”

“Yeah, you can,” Michael told him as he craned his neck back for Jeremy. “I might want somethin’ to drink ‘nd eat after though.”

“I’ll take care of you,” Jeremy promised softly and Michael felt as much as heard the tiny sound of Jeremy’s fangs coming out.

There was a pinch, then Michael was overcome with bliss once more.

Michael gasped before letting out unintelligible noises, his hands resting against Jeremy somewhere. He wasn’t sure  _ where _ his hands were, but they were keeping contact with Jeremy. That was all that mattered as he felt a stronger bliss than he’d ever encountered in his lifetime, possibly his lifetime _ s _ .

Jeremy drank more deeply than he did last time, slowly but surely taking more and more of Michael’s blood. He was glad to give it. It helped Jeremy and made him feel  _ so _ good.

Michael almost whined when Jeremy pulled back, lapping at his bite. Except, he didn’t  _ stop _ and seal the wound. Instead, he kept licking and sucking without his fangs, taking what came out naturally instead of pulling.

The blissful feeling only amplified by this since Jeremy was licking and sucking at his neck, collarbone, and shoulder. Michael giggled when some of the sucking tickled his skin, but otherwise let out sighs, hums, and the occasional moan.

Eventually, when Michael was light headed to the point of being almost dizzy from blood loss and pleasure, Jeremy kissed the bite and sealed it up. For a few minutes more he licked at Michael’s skin, cleaning it up, before pulling back to hover over Michael. There was a small trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth, and a smear on his lips which he quickly licked away. The sight was so deeply... something. Michael was having a hard time thinking clearly.

Somehow, Michael managed to reach up and gently wipe the blood,  _ his _ blood, from the corner of Jeremy’s mouth. “Y’re a messy eater,” Michael said before giggling excessively. Was it excessive? It seemed like the right word to use. It was a three dollar word. Or was it a five dollar one?

Jeremy took Michael’s hand and sucked on the fingers he used to clean him up, maintaining eye contact with a lidded gaze. “And you’re delicious. And adorable,” he countered after a moment. “If I weren’t madly in love with you, I’d probably want all of you.”

Michael couldn’t help but grin and laugh. “Well ‘m glad that you love me so much,” he murmured as he, once Jeremy let go of his finger, booped Jeremy’s nose. “I love you too, so much.”

Jeremy grinned. “You’re amazing, Mikey. M’so happy you’re mine.” He pecked Michael’s lips. “Y’still want some food? I made some for you before you arrived.”

Oh, he was totally hungry now that he thought about it. “Yeah... Oh, and a slushie? We have those still.”

Jeremy kissed his lips again and climbed up off of Michael. "I'll be right back." He sort of just... vanished with a small rush of air, appearing a moment later with a large plate of sushi and a slushie for Michael.

Oh, there were so many kinds. There were some rolls and- negimaki! Michael was sure he gasped as Jeremy sat back down on the couch. “Oh my god, y’made me sushi an’ negimakey... nagimaki... my fav’rite sushi!”

"Yeah." Was Jeremy blushing a tiny bit? Michael thought he could see some red in his cheeks. "It's all fresh, I finished it up this afternoon before you got here." He sat down next to Michael, putting the slushie on the table nearby and picking up some chopsticks. "Which one do you want first? I'll feed you."

There were so many different options... Michael looked over all of them before looking up at Jeremy. “I want the negi... maki last, so y’choose.”

Jeremy picked up some salmon nigiri and looked at it. "You want it with soy?"

“Mm...” Michael had to think on it for a second before nodding. “Please.”

Jeremy dipped the nigiri in the sauce and held it out for Michael to take. "Open wide, love,” he cooed.

He opened his mouth for Jeremy, humming happily when he took the sushi in one bite. It was the perfect sushi size! Michael smiled as he ate the sushi before telling Jeremy just that. “How’d y’know the perfect sushi size for me?”

"I made a guess." He hummed, watching Michael with an adoring look. He looked smitten. Heh. That was a funny word. "But I made these all about the same size so they would be bite size and easy." He offered Michael another piece of nigiri dipped in soy sauce.

Michael happily ate it as he kept smiling at Jeremy. He still looked smitten. And cute and sweet and handsome. “They’re so good, just like you.”

"Thank you." Yeah, Jeremy was definitely blushing. Wow, that made him even cuter!

“Mm.” Michael reached up and cupped Jeremy’s cheek, giggling as he felt heat under his cheeks. “Y’re warm and red in the face. Y’look so cute like this.”

"I am?" Jeremy looked confused. "I have never blushed since being a vampire..." He reached up to hold Michael's hand against his cheek. "Mmm, but you touching me feels really nice. Y're warmer than normal somehow, even if I took some blood."

“Mm, maybe ‘cause you’re warming me up,” Michael said with a grin as he rubbed Jeremy’s cheek. “You’re so warm and red and cute and handsome.” He did his best to sing that, but he wasn’t sure how good he was at doing that.

Jeremy's cheeks got hotter. "You’re so sweet Mikey." He nuzzled against Michael's touch. Then, something strange happened. Jeremy's stomach  _ rumbled _ . "Wha-?"

“You’re hungry! Y’gotta eat,” Michael said like it was obvious. Well, it was. If someone’s stomach rumbled, they needed food. “Have some of t’sushi. It’s really good.”

Jeremy looked floored. "But... I don't eat. Doesn't do anything for me since m' a vampire..." He looked down at the sushi, a little lost. "I haven't eaten in a very long time... I only had my first ever hot chocolate last week."

“Well, your stomach rumbled. That means y’re hungry and need to eat.” Shifting himself a little, Michael sat up properly. He had to use an arm to keep himself propped up as he managed to pick up a piece of sushi in his fingers. “Lemme feed you.”

Jeremy stared at the cucumber maki in confusion, as though it was a very hard puzzle, but he opened his mouth when Michael held it up. He took it from him, slowly chewing on it before groaning and swallowing, tracing his finger slowly down his throat to his stomach, as though following the food down. 

"That was...  _ good _ ,” he whispered in awe. "Food has never tasted good to me, not since I've been a vampire."

“Mm... Maybe it’s ‘cause of me.” Jeremy looked to Michael with confusion, but Michael shrugged as he went to feed Jeremy the next piece of sushi. “I mean, y’just drank a lot of my blood. Y’re blushin’ and eating. So maybe it’s ‘cause of me and my blood.”

Jeremy chewed and swallowed the next piece, eyes going wide. "You... Are you making me alive again, Mikey?" he asked softly, his voice reverent. "Are you doin' some magic to make me human again?"

Again, he shrugged as he got another piece for Jeremy to eat. “All I know is that y’need to drink my blood. It’ll help you. My instincts‘ve been telling me that.”

"Y' _ want _ me to drink from you?" Jeremy asked, shocked. "But what if I give you too much venom and y'get addicted? Or become a thrall or a donor by accident? I don't wanna ever hurt you, Mikey." Even if he was so much older than Michael, Jeremy looked so young and nervous and afraid right then.

Michael put the piece of sushi down so he could cup Jeremy’s cheeks. “You’ll never do that t’me, Remy. I know that you’d never give me too much or get me addicted. That’s the one thing you’ve always been good at: making sure I’m safe in the end, no matter what. I’m good at making sure you’re safe too, so... let me do that f’you. Trust me like you always do.”

Jeremy closed his eyes and leaned into Michael's touch. "Okay,” He whispered after a moment. "I trust you, Mikey." He opened his eyes, which were distant and almost foggy. "I've lost you too many times before to let it happen again. Y'gonna be safe with me,” he promised.

“And you with me,” Michael promised in return before kissing Jeremy’s forehead. “Squip’s tried keeping us apart in the past. I won’t let it keep doing this to us, especially not now.”

Jeremy blinked and frowned, his eyes clearing back to their blown, slitted versions. "Keep? He... only did it once before, and we got past that in a week."

“No, it’s done it many times,” Michael reminded Jeremy as he patted Jeremy’s cheeks. “So many different ways, but we always beat it. And we’ll beat it again this time.”

"We... did?" Jeremy asked slowly. "Were we... I always find you, right? We always find each other thanks to... a spell?" He was frowning as he tried to remember. His bright blue eyes were like dragon's eye as he thought hard. "'Cause I was the moon, which is why I'm so affected and you're so affected. We're affected more than normal 'cause of being the moon and the first..." Whatever he was thinking seemed to fade. "What was I saying?"

Michael blinked a few times before shrugging and picking up the piece of sushi from before. “How you were hungry, which means you need to eat some sushi!”

"I... Okay." He accepted the dragon roll (Jeremy made so many types!) and kissed Michael's fingers as he put the sushi in Jeremy's mouth. He giggled and picked up some sushi for Michael, holding it out after dipping it.

Michael happily ate some before resting his head against Jeremy’s chest. He felt really cuddly right now, and a bit sleepy. “I love you, Remy.”

"I love you so much, Mikey," Jeremy cooed, running one hand through Michael's hair and using the other to keep slowly feeding Michael.

“We’re gonna be happy, just like most of our other selves,” Michael murmured, though he wasn’t sure if Jeremy heard him. It didn’t matter because Michael knew it was true as he ate the negimaki roll. Mm, amazing.

  
  



	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Lovelies! This chapter starts off with the bliss post-Blood Moon. Our boys curled up together and very much in love. From there, things develop in possibly unexpected ways. Let's just hope our boys are strong enough to work through their troubles. Enjoy
> 
> And now a word from my favourite person :3c
> 
> Hey guys, Ari here!
> 
> So, this chapter has everyone relaxing and recovering. The Blood Moon was a bit intense in a good way... Let's hope things don't get intense in a bad way soon- Wait, what Chapter are we on? Whoops, the fic is coming to an end soon. It may be coming soon.

Jeremy shifted from his sort of sleep sometime late in the morning. He could feel the sun was up outside, decently high so it had to be pretty late. He curled closer to Michael, enjoying the heavenly scent of his werewolf.

Jeremy first noted that he was lying on Michael's chest in the den, face close to Michael's neck. He could still taste the blood on his lips, and when he opened his eyes he could see there was a little dried blood on Michael's neck. It seemed like Jeremy had been licking it up instead of just drinking.

He focused, and managed to spot two other bite marks on Michael's neck. A quick sniff told him that Michael wasn't flooded with venom, he wouldn't even be close to being addicted yet. Good.

Jeremy was still topless, and Michael's tank top had clearly been stretched to show off most of his body, which was covered in hickeys and light bruises. He smelled content in his sleep, satisfied almost. Clearly he had enjoyed whatever happened.

Jeremy focused, tried to recall anything. As with all the blood moons, Jeremy couldn't remember anything of importance, but he did have  _ something _ for once. It was from before he bit Michael, a memory of sheer adoration and worship of Michael in every way he knew how. Wow. That was intense.

Michael shifted a little, and Jeremy glanced over to see him move closer to Jeremy. He rested his hand against Jeremy’s shoulder, barely brushing his bare skin. Somehow, it sent shivers down his body. 

Even if he didn’t want to leave where he was, Jeremy shifted to get a look at Michael’s face. His face looked so zenned out. His hair was tousled beyond belief, and Michael had faint traces of a smile on his lips. His lips looked a little kiss swollen as well.

God, he was beautiful. Michael looked genuinely amazing, so relaxed and messy. He was covered in hickeys, now that Jeremy looked properly, and the sight set Jeremy's heart fluttering (It would if his heart beat anyways). He was visibly claimed by Jeremy, and god that made Jeremy feel good. He knew he could be a bit possessive at times, a mix of vampire nature and his own mentality from before, but this was... wow.

A quick once over revealed to Jeremy that Michael had five separate bite marks, the three on his neck and two on his wrists, but had only lost a little over a pint. Jeremy had clearly shown a lot of restraint when drinking. It seemed to be for pleasure more than need, which was a good thing. That meant it would be good for Michael too.

While Jeremy was busy admiring Michael, he noticed Michael’s breathing starting to shift. His body reacted a few seconds later, shifting himself closer to Jeremy by loosely draping his arm over Jeremy’s waist. Ever so softly, he yawned and hummed before nuzzling his face right against Jeremy’s bare chest.

Oh god, that was so cute. Jeremy wrapped his arms around Michael, shifting their position so Michael was lying on top of him for once. Michael didn't shift in the slightest so he must have been comfortable.

Jeremy decided to take a moment to just enjoy this, and enjoy his memories of the night. Though it was just a small portion of the night, the memories he  _ did _ have, though blurry, were just beautiful. Michael pliant and willing beneath him. Michael desperate and happy being touched. Michael whining and trying his hardest to kiss back through the good feelings which were overwhelming him. God, it was amazing. Jeremy could almost feel himself getting hot and bothered just from the memory (He realised that the same thing happened last night and he stopped himself before wanting to go further into territory they hadn't discussed yet. Wow, he was actually considerate during a blood moon for once).

Faintly, Jeremy heard Michael yawn again, and he heard him sigh. Michael nuzzled his head against Jeremy’s chest, and he was speaking so softly. He wasn’t sure if it was nonsense or not, but Michael stopped to smack his lips together and stretch. “Mm...”

Jeremy chuckled, reaching up to stroke Michael's hair while still holding him close. "Morning, Michael,” he cooed softly. "How're you feeling?"

“Mm... Good,” he murmured as he moved his feet around a little. “My neck ‘n wrists feel weird, a bit stiff, but ‘m good otherwise.” Michael yawned once more before glancing up to look at Jeremy. God, Michael was too gorgeous for his own good. “How’re you?”

Even if Michael didn't have any compulsion, Jeremy found himself entranced by the beautiful, sleepy brown eyes. 

"I feel better than I have in years,” he murmured, still stroking Michael's hair. "Also actually full and able to breathe properly for the first time since the sixties when I discovered slushies."

“Mm, well I’m glad. ‘M glad I was able to help you feel good... presumably. I’m guessing I did something to help.”

"I normally don't drink my fill." Jeremy pressed a kiss to Michael's hair. "You let me, and so I'm healthier than I have been in a very long time." Another kiss. "Thank you." Another. "Do you not remember anything about last night?"

Michael let out a low, sleepy hum as he seemed to think. “No, I don’t. All I remember is the nice and bliss’d feelin’ I must’ve had last night.”

"I only remember up until I first drank from you," Jeremy whispered. "But I've managed to put together some of the pieces from you." He traced his fingers around some of the hickies he left with just enough pressure to make them almost ache but in a nice way. A reminder way.

A soft, pleased sigh escaped Michael as Jeremy did that. “I don’t remember y’giving me these, but they’re nice... I’m guessin’. I can’t see ‘em right now.”

"You're  _ covered _ ," Jeremy murmured. "Everyone can see you're mine now. My scent is all over you and you're covered in my marks." That was something else Jeremy was noticing. What could only be described as Jeremy's scent was intertwined with Michael's own, too deep and strong to just be a result of touches. It made the more primal aspect of Jeremy's vampirism almost sing.

“Mm, really?” Michael yawned as he nuzzled closer against Jeremy. “That’s nice... Well, ‘cept for my sore neck and wrists.”

Jeremy took Michael's hand to examine his wrist, pressing a gentle kiss over his bite mark. "Seems like I was having fun with these ones,” he murmured. "They're not quite as clean and precise as normal." He started slowly trailing kisses up Michael's arm, keeping gentle hold of his wrist.

Michael relaxed under all of his kisses, like putty under him. Though not the same as last night. God, thinking of it all sent a shiver down his spine as he trailed up Michael’s neck, pressing a lingering kiss over each bite mark. 

Before Jeremy could say anything else, Michael’s phone let out a text chime. Michael looked over to where he must’ve put his phone last night, close to his backpack. “Mm... It’s too far and ‘m too comfy with you.”

Jeremy shifted to sit them up before he grabbed the phone and laid them back down again, handing the phone to Michael. "It could be important.”

“It could...” Michael let out a long sigh as he shifted to unlock his phone. 

He read over his text before glancing over at Jeremy. “Jasmine and Jake said they’re gonna come pick me up... Jenna dropped me off last night,” he added before looking at his phone. “Does forty-five minutes from now work? That’s when they’re askin’ to come get me.”

"Yeah...." Jeremy hummed."Whenever you're happy to go. I'm quite content here." He kept lightly exploring Michael’s body, delighted by every hickey he left.

Michael seemed to agree with his soft sighs and hums every time he passed and massaged one. “They’re sayin’ I need to recover and that Jenna’s gotten ready for me...” He typed away on his screen before putting it away. “They’ll be here soon.”

"M'kay." Jeremy shifted to kiss Michael's forehead that time. "They're right about you needing some time. I'm not gonna be allowed to drink from you at all for at least a week and a half.”

He hummed in understanding before resting and leaning against Jeremy. “That’s fine... Can we do something for breakfast? I mean, it’s closer t’lunch, but ‘m hungry.”

Jeremy sighed and nodded. “Of course. How do pancakes sound?”

“Yes please. That’s great,” Michael said as he looked up at Jeremy with a dazzling, sleepy smile. God, Jeremy was in so deep and he didn’t regret it.

  
  
  


As promised. Jake and Jasmine arrived less than an hour later to pick up Michael, each getting a pancake as Jeremy finished them off. Jasmine decided to stay to help Jeremy sort himself out while Jake took Michael back to his dorm and back to Jenna, who was waiting.

“Here he is, Jenna,” Jake called, guiding Michael to the couch in the common area. “He’s a little unsteady, but he’s all in one piece. I hope you’ve got some foundation for him.”

“Foundatio-“ Jenna’s voice died out as she walked in. “Well, I guess you two had fun. You’re covered.”

Michael hummed as he sat down on the couch, not lying down though. Even if Jenna was caring for him, she promised it would be in his room. The couch in here was shit compared to the mattress pad he had in his room. “I think we did. I don’t really remember much ‘bout last night except for bein’ blissed out and relaxed.”

“Sounds about right for what Jeremy warned be about.” Jenna nodded. “Thanks Jake, I got him from here.” Jake grinned and nodded. He gave a casual salute and headed out of the common room. “C’mere, Mikey. Let’s get you comfy.” Jenna reached down and half picked up Michael, helping him stand with his arm slung over her shoulders.

Michael nodded as he leaned a bit, but not completely, against Jenna. “I just realized that our RA from our floor half saw Jake come in with me... She was at t’front desk... Oh god.”

“She also knows Jake and knows he’s not your boyfriend,” Jenna corrected with a grin. “She was asking questions about Jeremy a few days ago, last time he stopped by. I enjoyed seeing her face fall when she realised your boyf wasn’t on the market.” Michael knew his RA’s reputation for ‘collecting’ men to add to her count. She wasn’t mean since she never broke up relationships, but she was a little pushy about single guys.

“I wasn’t worried that she saw me with Jake, just that she saw the marks,” Michael told Jenna as he walked with her into his room. “I realize now that I’ve been walkin’ around in shorts, a tank, and Jeremy’s cardigan. ‘M on full display!” Granted, a small part of him liked it, but still! Impressions!

“She saw.” Jenna nodded after a second of scrolling. “She just posted on her blog. No names though, she’s better than that.”

“What? Ughhh.” He whined until Jenna helped him to climb up into bed. Once on, he flopped into his pillow pile and physically relaxed.

Jenna chuckled. “Y’know, for as stiff and sore as you look, you also seem pretty damn happy.” She tucked him in under the weighted blanket he loved to relax under, the pressure just right without overheating him.

“I mean, I am. The sorest parts are m’ neck and wrists since Jeremy drank from there... Well, he said he drank from my neck once and then just lapped the other four,” Michael recounted as he felt the pressure helping to ease some of the soreness he had.

“Yeah?” Jenna sat on the bed next to him, reaching over and taking his glasses off. “And I’m guessing there was a lot of loving going on too.” She looked at his form hidden beneath the blankets. “I mean, besides the marks on you there’s just... something different about you today. It’s like I can just tell you and Jeremy have been together.” She hummed, stroking his hair.

He couldn’t help but shrug as he let himself relax under Jenna’s attentive touches. “Mm, maybe the scent I have is so powerful that humans can smell it now?”

“Maybe,” Jenna agreed. “I just know that there is no mistaking that you’re taken, and by someone who adores your every part.”

“Awwww. When I don’t feel so sore, I’ll text him that.” It would definitely make his day. 

Shifting a little, Michael glanced over at his TV and his Switch. “D’you wanna watch some YouTube? We haven’t in a while, and we need to catch up on all the Safiya Nygaard content.” At first, Michael hadn’t seen the appeal, but once Jenna had him watch one of her ‘The Internet Made Me Buy It’ episodes, he fell in love with her content.

Jenna scoffed. “What else did you think we were gonna do on your ‘sick day?’” She grabbed a JoyCon and turned on the device, quickly starting on navigating to YouTube. “By the way, have you tried out Jeremy’s cabinets yet?”

“No. They came in last week, but they weren’t my top priority,” Michael explained as he reached over and grabbed his Sandshrew plush. He held it close as he glanced up at Jenna. “Before I left, he made me promise that I’d try Pac-Man next time we were relaxing at his place.”

“Awesome.” Jenna grinned. “You’re super hyped for it, right?” She started scrolling through videos to find the last one they watched.

“Oh, I  _ so _ am.” The last two visits had sort of been associated with death or distractions, otherwise he would’ve played it nonstop. “All the places I’ve been to have never had a Pac-Man cabinet. I’ve only played emulations of it.”

Jenna selected a video and paused it straight away. “Nerd,” She teased fondly, rubbing Michael’s arm with the Pac-Man tattoo. “Also, did Jeremy tell you yesterday? He got me on the vampire equivalent Google and got me to help him find a tattoo artist who can do it for vampires. We found one.” Wait, what?

A few things passed in Michael’s head as he looked up at Jenna. “Ok, a few things. First, there’s a vampire Google? Second, vampires can’t get tattoos normally? Third, he’s getting a tattoo and didn’t tell me he was thinking about it? Uh,  _ so _ rude.”

Jenna giggled. “The Google thing is to help vampires find services that cater to them, since they have a specific set of needs. Second, no, vampires can’t get tattoos. Most needles can’t break their skin, so they need specialised silver ones to work. Third, he’s wanted one for ages but never had the guts to get it. I think he’s gonna ask if he can complete your design by getting a ghost, or get it as a sort of... token of his dedication.” She shrugged. “Basically, he wants to show everyone that he’s yours as much as you’re his. And since you can’t leave marks, this was his next best option.”

Oh god, Michael’s heart was going to burst with so many good emotions. If he wasn’t wiped, he’d probably tear up a little. “Jeremy is gonna be the death of me, Jenna, I swear.”

“Nah, he’d never forgive himself if you died.” Her tone was teasing.

“He’d kill whatever or whoever killed me, even if it was a bagel. He’d dismantle the bagel empire.”

“He’d erase the very idea of a bagel from the face of the planet.” Jenna nodded seriously, her eyes bright with laughter.

Michael nodded as well. “Bagels would be erased from all minds, pieces of text, and the cosmic existence of, well, existence.”

“No one would be even able to fathom a bagel ever again.” She huffed out a small laugh, unable to contain it all anymore. “Damn, boy, how did you snag yourself someone like him?”

“I have no clue,” Michael admitted with a fond smile. “I think I just got lucky. Very lucky.”

“Well can you share some of your luck and send some cute, dedicated girls my way? I’m gay and I need to be loved.”

Michael thought for a second before reaching over and rubbing his head against her. When Jenna yelped, out of confusion and surprise, Michael explained, “I’m half dog and I’m rubbing my luck off on you.”

Jenna paused then burst out laughing. She rubbed her cheek against Michael’s as she laughed and giggled. “In that case, luck me up, pupper.”

“I am, that’s what I’m doing!” Michael couldn’t stop himself from laughing, eventually ending up with his head against Jenna’s thigh as he snorted.

Jenna’s giggles eventually calmed too, and she returned to stroking his hair. “Ready to watch, hun?”

“Mhmm,” Michael murmured as he looked back at his TV screen. “But Jenna?” She hummed softly in acknowledgement. “You’re my best friend. Thank you for everything.”

Jenna made a small, happy sound. “You’re my best friend too, Mikey. I love you so much, you nerd.”

He could feel her beaming (she was definitely a Words of Affirmation kind of person) before the video started and he was sucked into the eventual YouTube rabbit hole he and his best friend were going to tumble into.

  
  
  


Days later, Michael was getting restless. Jeremy hadn’t reached out to contact him or check on him since the blood moon, and no one else had heard anything from him either. Even Jasmine, who was the most up to date person with his movements generally, hadn’t heard a peep. That’s how Michael found himself being escorted by Jenna to Jake’s dorm. The pack was getting worried, so they were having a meeting.

Michael also wasn’t feeling too hot either. He had no idea why, especially since he had been isolated (thank god his professors were understanding since he gave them the closest ‘medical condition’ to his werewolf status as he could). He was leaning a bit more against Jenna than the day he came back from Jeremy’s. The worry she was radiating was obvious as they walked out of the elevator and walked to Jake’s door, knocking on it when they got there.

Jasmine answered the door, her own face lined with worry. 

“Oh god, Michael, I thought we’d have more time,” she gasped. “Jenna, get him inside, quick. Being around the pack should ease this a little. I didn’t realize it would advance so soon...” she muttered, probably intending to say the last bit only to herself.

Jenna seemed just as confused as Michael, but she just nodded as the two of them walked inside. When Michael raised a brow at Jenna, she just shrugged, worry evident still in her gaze.

Michael noticed that everyone in the pack was crowded into the living room, except Dustin.

“Is everyone here?” Jake asked as Michael settled on the love seat with Jenna. “Dustin is grabbing Marshal, so we can start without them for now. Jasmine, please take over the floor.”

Jasmine took Jake’s spot as he went to sit down. “Jeremy is missing, as I’m sure you all know by now, but that is putting Michael in danger.”

Jenna spoke up before Michael could. “Why? I mean, he’s been sore and weaker because of what they did during the blood moon, but that and Jeremy’s lack of presence shouldn’t be affecting his health so much.”

Jasmine shook her head. “He would be better since the Blood Moon. His body is  _ designed _ to heal and adapt. He’d be stiff, but not like this.” She started tugging on the end of her long, brown hair. “Michael and Jeremy’s bond is incomplete. It takes constant contact, even just an acknowledgement a day, to ensure it builds properly. They’d text each other at least once a day before this.” She started pacing nervously. “I smelt it yesterday when I came around. The bond is failing due to lack of contact, but also something else. There is something trying to cut off the bond between them. And since Michael is the one who’s biology is changing so drastically, it’s draining him. He’s going to get weaker and weaker if we don’t find Jeremy soon.”

Everyone in the room tensed, even Jake who likely learned all this before the meeting. “I know this is me asking the worst case scenario, but what happens if we don’t find Jeremy soon?” Michael asked as he shifted a bit so he could lie his head against Jenna.

“It depends.” Jasmine’s face was grim. “At best, the bond breaks and you’re fine in a couple of weeks. At worst... you die literally of a broken heart.”

“Yeah, that’s not happening. We’re finding Jeremy,” Jenna insisted right away, wrapping an arm around Michael’s shoulders. “OK, so we need to find Jeremy? We should go back to his apartment and you guys can pick up his scent to track him down-“

The door slammed open. “Marshal’s gone!” Dustin panted, throwing himself into the room while looking distraught. “They’re all gone. I can’t find any of them.”

Brooke was by Dustin’s side in an instant. “Just take a deep breath, Dustin, and explain. Did you run up the stairs to get here?”

“I ran from the nest,” he croaked, barely able to breathe as tears started running down his face and he started shaking. “Marshal is gone. His apartment was broken into and everything is broken or taken,” he managed to sob out. “There was a fight there for sure.”

Brooke rubbed his back and did her best to soothe Dustin as Jake stood. “Can you take us there, Dustin? We can scope the place out and try to place the events to track ‘em. We’ll find Marshal and Jeremy.”

“Jeremy was there,” Dustin whispered, horrified and broken-hearted. “He’s the one who took Marshal. He smelled so... scared. And sad. But it was him, I know it. Him and someone else.”

Jake’s face softened as he looked to Michael. “Mikey, does Jeremy’s cardigan that you’re wearing still have his scent on it?” 

“Yeah, it’s pretty heavy,” Michael said as he went to take it off. 

“No, we can just smell that,” Jake assured him as he went and sniffed the sleeve. “Brooke, you and Dustin stay here for now. I’ll take everyone else to wherever the scent takes us.”

“One more thing.” Jasmine stopped them from leaving. “Being with the pack will help slow down the breaking of the Bond. Someone needs to stay with Michael at all times, more than one person whenever possible.”

Everyone nodded in understanding. “We’ll get a schedule up in the group chat,” Brooke said as she rubbed Dustin’s arm as she hugged him from the side. “We’ll do it while you guys go look.”

“Don’t worry, guys. We’ll find them.” Jake nodded and shifted onto pack leader mode. “Alright everyone, time to move out,” he barked. Within minutes, everyone except Dustin, Brooke, Jenna, Michael, and Jasmine were gone.

“C’mon, Mikey. Jenna. Time to get you two home,” Jasmine murmured, heading over to them and crouching down next to Michael.

Michael sighed as he nodded, standing with Jasmine’s help. “Thanks, Jasmine,” he murmured as he held her hand.

“It’s okay, baby,” she murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of his head and gesturing to Jenna. She came over to Michael’s other side. “I’ll be the one staying with you for tonight. The boys are with their gran, so I’ll be staying at your place for a few days, okay?”

He just nodded as he squeezed her hand. “We have spare beds-“

“ _ I’ll _ set up a guest bed for her in your room,” Jenna softly insisted as she wrapped an arm around Michael’s side. “You’re going right back to bed.”

Michael wanted to protest but a wave of dizziness hit him and he almost fell over. “Woah, careful, hun,” Jasmine muttered. She reached into his pocket and grabbed his keycard as they waited in the elevator. “Jenna, you get him into bed. I’ll go make some soup to help him out.”

“Got it,” Jenna assured as she held on a bit tighter to Michael. “You’ll be fine Mikey.” 

He felt too shitty to say anything else, so he just nodded and leaned a bit more against Jenna. Hopefully, they’d find Jeremy and Marshal right away.

  
  



	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey Lovelies! This chapter gives us a few new things. A new POV, some new lore, and even a new ally! All good stuff, right? The fact Michael is sick as a dog (pun intended) is no big deal. Hold on to your butts, this is when things start getting serious. Enjoy!
> 
> And now a word from my favourite person :3c
> 
> Hey guys, Ari here!
> 
> So, this was one of my favorite chapters to write. If you've read Mara and I's fics for a while now, you can sort of get a sense of which scenes/types of chapters are my favorite to write. We get a character we haven't seen in a while appearing as well as a new POV for a brief snippet. ;3c Prepare yourselves for the start of serious pain.

It had been two days since the meeting, four since the last time Michael saw Jeremy. Jenna couldn’t even imagine how bad Michael would be right now if his pack, specifically Jasmine, hadn’t stayed with him for the past two days. He was basically incapacitated, forced to be in bed when he wasn’t keeping up his hygienic needs. 

Right now, she was checking the group chat for any updates on Marshal or Jeremy’s whereabouts. They had found new leads by their scents, but they hadn’t found where the coven had relocated. It was still nearby, but they couldn’t track where yet. 

Right now, Jake was cooking something for dinner for Michael. Jasmine noticed Michael was running low on food and went on a grocery trip to restock. Bless their hearts. 

A knock on the door brought Jenna out of her thoughts. “I got it,” she said as she walked down the short hall to the doorway. Jake probably hadn’t heard what happened since he was listening to his music with earbuds in. That was just how he best cooked. Jenna wasn’t sure if Michael was awake, but if he was, he knew. 

She answered the door to find an unfamiliar guy outside the door. Looking him over, Jenna got nervous since she realized he wasn’t from their school. “Can I help you?” she asked, ever so slowly shutting the door. She’d be able to slam the door shut without the guy being able to react beforehand. She, unfortunately, had practice with this kind of situation.

“Yes, actually.” He arched an eyebrow. “But can you look me in the eyes when you’re talking to me? It’s not polite to try to slam a door in someone’s face after all. I just need a minute.” Jenna huffed and looked down at the pipsqueak properly. He was barely five-five, and his freckles and messy hair gave off the impression that he was quite young. 

But then she saw his eyes. His hazel eyes were impossibly old and impossibly beautiful and Jenna couldn’t look away. They seemed to almost pulse as she looked. How could she have been so rude? 

“That’s right, look at me properly,” the man encouraged. “Now tell me, is this where Michael Mell lives?” She had to answer. It would be rude not to and she never wanted to be rude to the man with the beautiful, unblinking eyes.

“Yes, he lives here with me,” she answered, not wanting to come off as rude to this man at all. “He’s my roommate, and he’s here right now.” It felt right to tell this guy all of this. If he was asking about Michael living here, he probably wanted to see him and talk to him.

“Perfect.” The man smiled. “Can I come in please? It’s of the utmost importance I talk to him straight away.”

She nodded as she opened the door up for him. Why was she being so rude before? “Yes, of course. He’s not feeling good right now, so you know.”

The man stepped inside with a sigh. Then, he looked Jenna over. “You’re quite beautiful, you know. You’d make a lovely thrall...” he mused before beckoning Jenna closer. He kissed her hard, forcing his tongue into her mouth. A sort of tongue numbing, sweet liquid dripped in and she had no choice but to swallow it as the man pulled back. “Go to your bedroom and wait there. I’ll be with you before the venom I’ve given you wears off.”

Jenna wanted nothing more but to listen to Rich. He knew what was best, and she wanted nothing but to listen to him. “Of course,” she murmured, walking down the hall and past the common area and kitchen to her room. 

She shut her door and just got on her bed, lying in wait as the bliss overcame her mind. All she had to do was wait there, like Rich said. She didn’t want to disobey him.

  
  
  


Michael couldn’t help but whimper as his heart ached. It had been starting to do that today, even if it was only faint. God, he hoped Jake and Jenna came back in soon with dinner. He didn’t even care about eating right now, he just wanted the hurt to be numbed a little by their direct presence.

The door opened slowly and Michael’s nose was assaulted by two very distinct smells. The first was of vampire, one that he didn’t recognize at all. The second was of Jeremy, just a lingering hint, but it was still Jeremy and it was fresh.

“Michael Mell?” A guy stepped into his room, eyes hard and face stormy. “You’re Michael Mell, right? Jeremy’s boyfriend?”

Oh god, this wasn’t good. “I cannot confirm or deny that right now,” Michael tried as he did his best to sit up so he could get away, but he could barely push himself up. Oh fuck.

“You’re the one.” The door closed softly. “You have his smell all over you, and he still stinks of you.” The guy walked forward. “It’s a shame, really. You’re cute.”

Oh no, oh no oh no oh  _ no _ . “You don’t have to do  _ anything _ ,” Michael tried before he just started yelling. “Jake! Jenna! Help-“

A hand covered his mouth, cutting him off. “Don’t worry about them. The girl is coming home with me after this.” Michael barely had time to register that before the guy ducked his head to Michael’s neck and bit down  _ hard _ . This wasn’t like the small pinch that Jeremy did; this was a hard bite with no regard for being neat or careful. The bliss that was supposed to follow was also muted, even if Michael could feel the warmth flooding his veins. It didn’t feel anywhere near as good as normal.

Since he wasn’t pulled right into bliss, Michael reached up as he gasped and groaned under this guy’s hand, trying to push him off. It was so hard to try, but he had to. This guy was going to kill him if he didn’t stop him!

Maybe that was the point. With one hand still over Michael’s mouth and the other now grabbing onto his hands, Michael was left helpless as the vampire started drinking properly, growling angrily at the taste but continuing anyway.

He tried to buck this guy off somehow, but Michael couldn’t do it. He was too weak to defend himself. His gasps and cries slowly faded as he felt himself unable to do anything but pathetically whimper. Was this really it?

Just as he got hit hard with something else that made his blood burn, causing him to start crying, he heard a loud growl. Before he or this guy could react to it, the vampire was yanked off of him. Michael sobbed at the pain and pleasure running through him, barely able to focus on the scene of Jake in his wolf form, blocking the vampire from him.

The vampire seemed stunned by Jake’s appearance, which gave the wolf the advantage. He lunged at the vampire, biting deep into his shoulder and neck and shaking his head. The vampire screamed in pain, then surprisingly fell limp, passing out. Jake growled and spat him out, instantly hopping up onto the bed and nuzzling at Michael worriedly, whining.

Michael reached over, his whole body visibly shaking, as he somehow patted Jake’s head. “I-I need t’call... Jas’ne or Br’ke...” He had wanted to say more but the next wave of pain cut him off. He sobbed as he writhed in bed. He could barely focus, let alone think. Please, oh god, he just wanted this to stop. Death would be better than this!

Before he could recover enough to say more, the door opened once more and Jasmine shot in. She started applying pressure to the side of Michael’s neck, ripping off her cardigan and balling it up. 

“Jake, put pressure on that. Keep it firm,” she ordered. Jake hopped off the bed and used one of his massive paws to press on the balled up cardigan. Jasmine pulled out a small bottle of liquid, tapped the glass before forcing Michael’s mouth open and tipping it in. “That should stabilize you.” She nodded, taking over the job of holding the cardigan from Jake.

Michael barely managed to stay conscious through all of that, but he managed it. The pain slowly subsided as he panted, realizing now that he was drenched in sweat. He felt gross and disgusting and overwhelmed in so many ways. Only when Jasmine gently wiped away his tears did Michael remember that he was sobbing profusely. 

“J- J- Jen,” he managed to weep out as he glanced to the door. The guy did something to Jenna. She needed to be checked on.

“She’s alive and unharmed physically,” Jasmine promised. “I could smell her when I came in.” Jake huffed and headed to the door. “Check her bedroom, hun. And there are wolfsbane pills in the living room in a small bowl by the couch.”

Jake huffed once more and left the room, presumably to check on Jenna. Thank god that she was alright. 

Michael managed to focus up on Jasmine as he felt his veins hurting a little less than before. “J-jas’me...”

“Shh, it’s okay baby.” Jasmine pushed some hair off his face. “I gotcha. Jeremy’s venom should be taking effect any second, and that’ll stop the hurting, okay? You’re gonna be feeling good enough so I can patch you up.”

At first, Michael went to nod, but that was the wrong move. Pain flared up in his neck and he sobbed again, shutting his eyes. God, this was hell. 

Shortly after he thought that, however, a bliss entered his body and started numbing the pain. It wasn’t entirely gone, especially at his neck, but everything was better. His veins throbbed but they weren’t burning.

His brain started going fuzzy though, which made it harder to recognize that he was hurting. Plus, he felt like Jeremy was holding him in a warm hug, sweet and loving and perfect. Even if he was in pain (was he?), Michael couldn’t help but smile up at Jasmine.

“There you are, baby. Heya. I’m just gonna grab the first aid kit, so I’ll be right back.”

Michael just managed to hum, watching as Jasmine ran out of the room. He hadn’t felt so good since the blood moon, well, presumably. It was like Jeremy really was there. Honestly, it was great. He even giggled as it felt like Jeremy squeezed him. Oh god, he loved Jeremy.

Michael knew that something was supposed to be making him hurt right then, but the all encompassing feeling of being held by Jeremy, taken by Jeremy, made everything floaty and nice.

A moment later, Jasmine came back in with the first aid kit and crouched down next to him again. She started pulling stuff out, ready to fix him up (was he hurt?).

“How’re you feeling, baby? You doing okay?” she murmured as she pulled away her cardigan. It was stained with red, but Michael couldn’t figure out why.

“Mm, ‘m good,” he told Jasmine as she put her cardigan to the side. “It feels like Remy’s right here, huggin’ me and stuff. It’s nice. Remy’s nice. You’re nice.”

“Well thank you, Michael. And yeah, Jeremy would  _ love _ to be here hugging you.” Jasmine smiled, focusing on undoing a large band aid. “Hmm... looks like he didn’t take any with him, just left the mark. Yeah, I can patch this up no problem,” she muttered, getting to work on something on Michael’s neck.

“Patch what up?” Michael asked softly, smiling as it felt like Jeremy hugged him again. Mm, it felt great, even if it wasn’t a real Jeremy hug.

“Well, someone was mean and bit you,” Jasmine explained gently as she worked. “And it wasn’t Jeremy. So I’m fixing it until we can get Jeremy so he can fix it properly.”

Oh. Who would do that to him? Did he do something wrong to get it? “Was I mean to someone to d’serve it?” Michael asked as he looked up at Jasmine.

“No,” Jasmine assured him. “I think he was doing it to help Jeremy. Or that’s what he thought, anyways. I think someone was messing with his head.”

“That’s not nice, t’mess with someone’s head. It’s not their head t’mess with,” Michael mumbled. 

He glanced over to the door when he heard it open. Brooke was there, yay! Michael tried to reach over to her. He adored Brooke and she was here!

Brooke was over by his side in an instant, hovering next to Jasmine worriedly. “Is he okay?”

“He’ll be fine. Within an hour, his body will have purged the pre-change venom. Then it’s just blood loss, and even then he didn’t take much. Didn’t have a chance to.”

Brooke relaxed, taking Michael’s hand. She looked to the ground somewhere behind Jasmine, her face screwing up angrily. “Is that him?” Jasmine nodded and Brooke growled.

Was it the person who was being messed with? “Don’t be too mean t’him, Brooke. Jasm’n said his head was bein’ messed with,” Michael said as he squeezed her hand. “He thought he was helpin’ Remy.”

Brooke’s growl lessened but she didn’t stop her scowling.

“Fine. But I’m gonna deal with him, make sure he’s not a risk to you anymore.” She huffed.

“Jeremy stashed some pumpkin-smeared ropes in his apartment. I brought them over yesterday.” Jasmine nodded. “That’ll keep him secure, if you stick him in the dining chair.”

Brooke nodded as she let go of Michael’s hand after squeezing it. She bent down and reappeared with that vampire dude in her arms. “We’ll be out there, waiting for this dude to wake up so we can question him.” Brooke gave Michael a smile before she left his room. Michael did his best to wave back before he settled back.

“Having some of Jeremy’s venom should stabilize you for a bit longer. Your bond sickness should be a little more manageable for a few hours.” Jasmine hummed as she put away the first aid kit. “Do you wanna stay in here or go out and be with everyone while we question the guy?”

“Can we be with everyone please?” Michael asked as he sat up ever so slowly with Jasmine’s help. “I miss ‘em.”

“I bet you do.” Jasmine nodded. She turned her head towards the door. “Jacob! Come help me move Michael to the living room!” she called.

Jake popped his head in shortly after, nodding as he gave Michael a smile. “Hey Mikey, how ‘ya feeling?”

“Good, but I miss y’guys,” Michael said as Jake came over.

“He needs to be around the pack, ideally, so he’s coming out to join us.” Jasmine nodded. “Also he’s drugged up and happy, so that’s always good.” A pause. “How’s Jenna?”

“She’s entranced right now. Probably got some of the venom from the vampire, but she’s fine. Jenna’s just lying in bed right now,” Jake explained as he helped Michael sit up. He was such a good pack leader and friend. “I think she was waiting to be turned into a thrall or donor from what I could gather from her mumbling.”

Thralls were supposed to be bad, according to Jeremy. Except the idea sounded  _ really _ nice. Maybe Jeremy could make Michael a thrall. Or a donor. Then they could be together and Michael could keep feeling floaty!

Maybe Jasmine would know how to get Jeremy to do that to him.

As Jake was picking him up to carry him to the living room, he tugged on Jasmine’s arm lightly. She looked at him then with her full attention. “How do  _ I _ become one ‘f those for Remy?”

Jasmine frowned. "What do you mean?" She seemed to realize something. "Wait, you want to become a  _ donor _ ? Or a thrall? Michael, you know those aren't good things."

“But ‘f I was one, Remy ‘nd I could be together always and I’d keep feelin’ floaty,” Michael pointed out because Jasmine just must not‘ve understood. That was alright, he misunderstood at first too. 

Jake shifted his hold on Michael before looking up at Jasmine. “Jasmine, what exactly did you give Michael to stabilize him?”

"Some of Jeremy's venom." She looked a little concerned. "He said it wouldn't be a dangerous dose, but would be good for emergencies." Jasmine looked back up to Michael. "Mikey, honey, being a thrall isn't a good thing. It'll mean we lose you forever."

She seemed really worried about the idea. It couldn’t be bad though if he was with Jeremy forever though... “But I’ll be with Jeremy,” he said with a frown. 

“Jasmine, how  _ much _ did you give him of Jeremy’s venom?” Jake asked as they walked out of the bedroom. 

“A whole vial,” Michael helpfully said as he looked up at Jake. “It’s not bad.”

Jasmine offered the vial to show Jake, to which he frowned. “Jeremy told me about those in case we needed to stabilize him. “He told us we needed to give him  _ part _ of it, not the whole thing, in case he ever got addicted to the venom.”

Jasmine went pale. "I panicked and gave him all of it to counter the other vamp's venom,” she whispered. "Do you think I got him addicted?" She closed the door to the bedroom. Brooke already had the guy who had his mind messed with tied up on a chair.

"Oh, why are you guys bringing him out here? Shouldn't he be resting?"

“He wants to be with the rest of his pack right now,” Jake supplied as he carefully set Michael down. Michael nodded in agreement as Jake tossed a blanket over him. “And no, Jasmine, it’s probably just going to make him want to be a thrall for a bit of time like with Jenna.”

“Wait, what?” Brooke asked, her eyes wide, as Michael frowned. Why didn’t anyone get that it was alright? He’d just stay quiet about it for now.

"I gave him some venom to stabilize him from the bite," Jasmine explained. "But I gave him too much and now he's..."

"He wants to be Jeremy's thrall." Brooke nodded. She came over and crouched down to be eye level with Michael. "You just wanna be close and be loved by him, huh? And feel good?" Brooke sounded like she understood.

Michael nodded as he wrapped the blanket he had a bit closer around him. “Yeah... I miss him lots ‘nd I just wanna be like that with him, Brooke.”

Brooke ruffled his hair affectionately. "He'll be fine. This is more the bond speaking than the venom. It's latching on to whatever connection it can get." She smiled at Michael. "We'll be able to find him as soon as this guy wakes up. He can lead us to Jeremy and you two can be together again,” she promised.

He sniffled and nodded, leaning into Brooke’s brief touch before she pulled back. Hopefully this guy would be able to help them... Michael really missed Jeremy.

Speaking of, the guy groaned and started to slowly lift his head. He blinked sluggishly, trying to get his bearings. "Wha...?"

Jake moved and sat in front of the guy, sniffing the air before frowning. He didn’t say anything about whatever he smelled, instead starting to question the guy. “Who are you? Give us your exact name.” Jake also glanced down at the guy, over where the rope met skin, before focusing in on his face again.

The skin was slowly blistering where the rope rubbed, but the guy didn't seem to notice or care. He blinked owlishly up at Jake. "Did... Are you the one who freed me? Are you an angel?" he asked, his voice sounding so small and in awe.

That seemed to take Jake by surprise for a second before he asked, “What are you talking about?”

"You're so beautiful and you saved me and-" Jake cut him off, looking flustered.

"Not that part, the freeing part." The vampire blinked.

"Oh, you freed me from Squip's thrall. I don't know how you did it, but for the first time in centuries I'm not feeling a pull to him." He sounded so shocked and happy. Also, he seemed to have a bit of a lisp now.

Jake seemed equal parts in awe and confused. “All I did was bite you, how would me biting you free you from that?”

The vampire shook his head. "I don't know. I just know that for the first time since I woke up, I'm fully  _ me _ again." He was staring up at Jake with adoration and reverence, like he was the best thing in the universe. "Thank you. I'm forever in your debt."

Jake looked away, obviously flustered by the forwardness of this guy. Brooke took it upon herself to step up, sighing with her arms crossed. “Well that’s well and good, but can you answer the questions? Like who you are?”

The vampire tore his gaze away from Jake, looking a little stunned for a moment before nodding. "Of course. I'll answer any questions you have." He took a breath. "I'm Richard. Richard Goranski, as of last century, but my friends call my Rich or, in Jeremy's case, Richie."

Michael perked up a bit then. So this guy definitely knew Jeremy. They were friends. “What were you doing here? What was your goal, and why?”

Rich hesitated. "I... Well I was indirectly sent here by Squip as a way to punish Jeremy for disobeying. He hinted that I might want revenge for everything Jeremy is going through, and used the thrall to make me want to hunt down everyone involved. I'm  _ so _ sorry for what I did. I know there is nothing I can say to make it up to you, especially Michael or the young woman whom I was going to enthrall."

“You can start by helping us.” Brooke thought for a second. “How can you prove to us that you won’t do any of that again?”

"I don't know." Rich sighed after a moment. "But I'll do whatever it takes. I want to help Jeremy, and I know Michael and the young woman, as well as the rest of you, mean a lot to him. You've all got his claim on you, which he doesn't give out lightly." He ducked his head. "If anyone has a chance at helping him, it's you."

“Her name is Jenna,” Brooke said, “But thank you. First thing: is there a way for you to remove her thrall sooner, or does she need to ride it out?”

"I only gave her enough venom to make her placid. To remove the desire to be enthralled, I just need to..." He frowned and scrunched up his face for a moment. 

When he relaxed, the sound of Jenna's door opening startled everyone. She walked out, almost like she was sleepwalking, and shuffled towards Rich. She crouched in front of him. He muttered something that Michael couldn't make out, and Jenna shifted to sit next to Michael on the couch, leaning against him with a happy sigh.

"She's fine now, she just has to ride out the venom. It wasn't much, so she should be at least coherent in a couple of minutes."

Brooke looked relieved as she watched Jenna and Michael. Michael shifted to rest his head against hers. She seemed to relax further then. “Alright, good.” She looked back over at Rich then. “Once we’re sure she’s fine, we’ll let you out. We just want to be sure.”

"Whenever you're comfortable." Rich nodded. He didn't seem to care about the burns and blisters forming on his skin from the ropes. "If it's not too much to ask, can I know your names please? I don't want to be rude and not address you properly."

Brooke shifted a bit where she stood. “I’m Brooke, Jake is our pack leader who bit you, and that’s Jasmine.”

"Nice to meet you all." Rich smiled softly before sniffing the air a little. "Wait a moment... I'm smelling... That's the same scent that Marshal had on him after the Blood Moon. Is he a part of your pack as well?"

Jake nodded, seemingly recomposed enough to talk. “Yeah, our pack member, Dustin, has bonded with him.” He shifted a bit before asking, “What happened after the Blood Moon? To Jeremy and Marshal?”

Rich took a shaky breath. "When they didn't turn up for the Blood Moon, Squip was suspicious. So, the night after, he went to Jeremy's apartment. When he smelled werewolf on Jeremy, and in his system, he was furious." He looked away. "He used the thrall to make Jeremy tell him everything, then made it so Jeremy has to be told what to do. His every action is dictated by Squip now, and he can't do anything for himself. Marshal was caught in the same way, but he's being forced by  _ Jeremy _ since Jeremy has the thrall over him."

Michael felt a dull ache in his chest at hearing that. Jeremy was being controlled? That wasn’t good. Same for Marshal. 

“Well... Where are you guys being situated now? We went and investigated your old nest, but we couldn’t find a solid scent to follow,” Jake said.

"Squip had us all disperse and reform the nest on the other side of town. I think he wanted to attack the pack after I took out Michael and whoever else I could find." Rich sounded ashamed. "I can take you there, but... I don't know how to free Jeremy. All the coven are set to protect him from being freed or to kill him if he manages to somehow disobey. No one wants to, but they're weak to the thrall."

Michael managed to be able to think on this (it felt weird to not be in that fuzzy cloud in his head) before offering, “What if I bite him?”

“They’d probably attack you if you bit him,” Brooke said as she sat on the dining table in the room. 

“What if we bit everyone else first so they aren’t in the thrall either? Then I could bite Jer’my.”

"Unless you take out Squip, you won't be able to free Jeremy. He'll just use the thrall to change Jeremy's instructions. He could make Jeremy..."

“Well, we can take him out b’fore I bite Remy,” Michael said. “If he isn’t there, he can’t control Remy.” That made sense, yeah.

"I'm thinking that it  _ has _ to be Michael who bites Jeremy too." Jasmine, who had been quiet until now, added. "The act of removing a thrall seems to create an imprint on the vampire to the werewolf, even if it's temporary." Rich made a small sound of embarrassment. "If Jeremy imprints on anyone other than Michael, it could snap the bond and we get the worst case scenario."

“Yeah, and none of us want that,” Brooke agreed as she let out a sigh. “Jasmine, how soon do you think we have to do this since Michael had that whole vial?”

"I'm not sure,” she admitted. Rich perked up.

"May I see the vial? I might be able to give you a guess, as well as maybe give you some help with Michael's recovery."

Jasmine nodded, taking out the vial before showing it to Rich. “It was filled to right below the neck of the vial with Jeremy’s venom. I used it to help flush out your venoms from Michael.”

Rich studied it for a moment before nodding. "He'll be mostly clear in about an hour, and totally recovered from that specifically by nightfall. And, if you'll allow me, I can seal my bite and speed up his recovery." Rich looked up at them hopefully. "I just want my brother safe and happy, it's all I can remember ever wanting without the thrall. Please, let me help."

The three werewolves looked at each other before nodding. “We’ll treat your burns and blisters after,” Jake said as he looked over Michael and Jenna. “We need Jenna to be coherent first before we do any of that.”

“Of course.” Rich nodded. Then he frowned and looked down, eyes widening slightly as he saw the ropes. “Oh, they’re covered in pumpkin...” he muttered.

“Jeremy had us prepare those just in case. We didn’t know if you’d still be a threat when you woke up or not,” Jake clarified.

“Wait... pumpkin burns vampires?” Michael asked. He didn’t really put those pieces together in his head until now.

“Yeah, it’s like... a proper allergy for us.” Rich nodded, seemingly not caring that he was burning where the ropes touched his skin. “It’s really painful and can even kill a vampire if one consumes it.”

“That’s... Wait, is that why people put out pumpkins at Halloween?” Michael asked, sure his eyes were wide. That made so much sense if it was true! Vampires wouldn’t be able to go to the front door to ask for invitation in! Oh my  _ god _ .

“Exactly.” Rich nodded. “People used to use turnips, but I think Jeremy and some of his group managed to use their compulsion to change it to pumpkins sometime in the nineteenth century.” Rich chuckled fondly. “Jeremy has got to be the most anti-vampire vampire I know. And most of the people I know don’t like being vampires.”

“I mean, it makes sense with who seems to be your coven head,” Brooke said before sighing.

As she sighed, Jenna groaned softly. “Y’know,“ she slurred, “M’head feels  _ real _ funny. Vampire venom sure is strong stuff.”

Michael lifted his head up as he smiled down at Jenna. She was awake! “Jenna,” he softly cheered before hugging her. “Y’re awake.”

“Yeah, I am.” she grumbled. “And as soon as I can move, I’m gonna punch that vampire in the chair.” Rich looked shocked, sheepish and regretful. Also a little nervous.

“Feel free. God knows I deserve it.”

“Well, make sure not to knock him out,” Jake said as he got up and untied Rich. “He’s gonna be helping us.”

“I know.” Jenna didn’t sound like it was news to her. “I’ve been awake this whole time, just out of it. I’ve heard everything since I’ve been in here.”

Rich looked up at Jake as the last of the ropes fell away, his gaze reverent. “I-er... I understand this is probably too forward, and that the situation is strange, but you are beautiful. And strong. And your scent is almost maddening,” he mumbled, flustered from being so close to Jake.

Jake glanced away as he cleared his throat. “Well, um, thank you. Maybe we can talk, uh, more about this after we fix all of this?” Wow, Jake’s cheeks were  _ super _ colored now.

“Please.” Rich nodded. “You’re radiant, and I want the chance to get to know you better, once my brother is safe.”

“Wow, seems like the whole pack is slowly getting set up with vampires.” Brooke snorted quietly. Jasmine giggled in agreement. Jenna just groaned, clearly tired of this whole flirting thing already.

Michael nodded before resting his head against Jenna’s shoulder. “Before anything else, we gotta treat you,” Jake murmured, taking the first aid kit that Jasmine handed over. “Jasmine, could you get something ready for everyone to eat? I sorta messed up the food I was making.”

“Sure thing.” Jasmine jumped to her feet and darted over to the kitchen, clearly glad to be of use. Everyone else got comfy except Rich, who stood and started towards Michael.

“Michael, I’m gonna have to ask if it’s okay to see the bite.” His voice was soft and sweet. He was the total opposite of the vampire who rushed Michael earlier. “I need to seal it up, and I can promote healing while I’m there. Would that be okay?”

He didn’t hesitate as he nodded, slowly sitting up from where he had been comfortable against Jenna. “Yeah, thank you.” As Rich got ready, Michael had the idea to ask something, so he did. “How is Jeremy doing? Is he at least physically OK? He prob’ly isn’t mentally OK right now...”

Rich paused. “He’s... unharmed. He’s been forced to drink a lot in the past few days, so he’s technically healthier than ever but...” Rich looked away as he knelt in front of Michael. “He’s been sick for some reason. No one can figure out why, but ever since the thrall started properly for him, starting with not being allowed to see you at all, he’s been sick.”

“It’s because of their bond,” Jake explained. “Michael’s bonded with Jeremy, and them being apart when they’re so close to finishing it is making them both sick. They could both die if they’re not able to properly reunite soon. That’s part of the reason why we’ve been trying to find Jeremy as soon as possible.”

Rich’s eyes widened. “We’ll get you both together then, by the end of tonight. I’ll make sure of it.” He reaches up and slowly pulled off the bandage on Michael’s neck. “Okay, looks like I didn’t get you too badly... I’m gonna have to go close with my face, okay?”

“You’re not gonna just drink from him, right?” Jenna asked suspiciously. Rich shook his head.

“No way. His blood tastes gross to me anyways, Jeremy’s claim made sure of that. I’m just gonna seal up the bite properly.”

Michael nodded as he took Jenna’s hand and squeezed it. She was a good best friend. “Alright, let's do it then. Well, you’ll do it, but y’know what I mean.”

“I do.” Rich chuckled, getting close and tucking himself into the crook of Michael’s neck. He felt Rich licking at his neck. It was weird, not nice like it was with Jeremy but also not scary or too gross. Rich pulled back a moment later, making a face. 

“Done. And he still tastes really bad to me, eugh.”

“If it helps, that felt super icky ‘nd weird. I like it better when Remy does that kinda stuff,” Michael mumbled. 

“Oh, you like it when  _ Jeremy _ licks your neck, huh?” Jenna teased while raising her brows. 

“Oh my  _ god _ , Jenna, stooop.”

“Jeremy is a horny bastard and Michael is a sweetheart.” Rich snorted fondly. “It’s a match made in heaven.”

Michael still whined as he rested his head against Jenna’s shoulder. She rested her head against his, and Jake brought Rich over to start patching him up. 

He glanced over at everyone present and, thinking of everyone else who’d help, felt mentally better. They’d save Jeremy, one way or another. He wouldn’t let Jeremy suffer much longer, and not Marshal either. He’d stop Squip with his pack.

  
  



	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Lovelies! This chapter is gonna suck, no pun intended. Get ready for the pain train! Not much else to say about this, so it's just gonna be a ride of hurt. Enjoy!
> 
> And now a word from my favourite person :3c
> 
> Hey guys, Ari here!
> 
> So, we've heard so much about Squip and what he's done. When are we going to see him?... Well, in this chapter. Things aren't going to be pretty, so prepare yourselves and enjoy!

Jeremy shivered as he pulled back from the donor. Reyes was very out of it, clearly blissed out from the experience. He’d need swapping out soon. Jeremy, as much as he hated drinking, wanted to at least stop the bleeding. He couldn’t though, not without permission.

“Okay, stand up,” Squip instructed. Jeremy felt his legs obey before he even knew what was happening. “Good. Now lick your lips, grab a napkin, and clean yourself off. As you pass one, you will order a thrall to clean the donor for you.”

Even if he wasn’t the one doing it, at least someone would be closing Reyes’ wound. It wouldn’t be a clean close, but it would be something. 

Jeremy licked his lips off and went to get a napkin. As he did, he passed Marshal who was stock still and blank faced. His heart (metaphorically) ached for Marshal as he ordered, “Clean up the donor,” while passing him. Marshal didn’t even react besides starting to obey his order, grabbing a wipe that would remove the blood and clean Reyes’ wound.

Even if he couldn’t show it or say a word, Jeremy was internally begging and apologizing to Marshal for forgiveness. Even if this wasn’t his doing, he was still the one in control technically, he was the one giving the orders. Marshal deserved better than this.

“Follow me, Jeremy,” Squip ordered cheerfully. “We’re going to go upstairs. I have a special job for you.” Jeremy found himself standing to attention and smoothly following after Squip. He wondered how long it would take before he stopped questioning and fighting this, before the pain stopped and because his norm. He wondered how long it would be before he was made to forget Michael and their interactions, and if he’d even be able to care by the time it happened. He had already given up on a rescue attempt. He wasn’t even sure where they were, if they were in a different  _ state _ by this point. His afterlife was a mess.

Still, he couldn’t stop himself from missing Michael. His heart ached every time he thought about him. Thank god he wasn’t made to forget him or care any less about him yet. Yet. If he hadn’t been ordered to be calm, cool, and collected, Jeremy knew he’d be tearing up right now.

The nest, once full of sound and energy, was silent as Jeremy followed Squip up towards the first floor. No one had come near Jeremy since he was captured. He couldn’t tell if it was from pity or from disgust. Either way, besides Marshal, who barely counted with how dead behind the eyes he was, he was in near total isolation these days. He missed his coven. He missed his pack. He missed his Michael.

Finally, they made it to the lobby of the old, abandoned hotel they’d been staying in. It was clear of almost everything except a lone chair.

“Go sit there.”

Jeremy did as he was told, walking over and sitting down in the chair before looking up at Squip. He was not looking forward to whatever Squip was going to tell him. If he was this happy, it wasn’t good for anyone but him.

“You are going to stay there until I tell you otherwise. You will not register anyone else. You will not see, hear, feel, smell or otherwise be able to detect anyone except me until you leave the chair,” Squip ordered with glee.

Jeremy nodded, even as he internally screamed and argued against this fact. He wanted to cry and argue and get up to fight against this. Instead, he just stayed where he was on the chair, staring at the wall of the old hotel.

He knew that Squip was planning something, and that something would hurt. The twinge he felt in his chest only grew worse as he resigned himself for now. He’d save his strength, then fight back with everything he had later. And if stopping Squip took him destroying himself, well he’d take it. Whatever it took to save his family.

  
  
  


Michael stood outside the nest with his pack and Rich. Jenna was nearby, but she wasn’t taking part in this. She couldn’t defend herself properly or fight, so she was there to watch. 

He felt better than ever. Somehow, Michael was full of energy that he was confident in using. Jasmine and Rich both confirmed it was because of Jeremy’s venom and that when it flushed out of his system, he’d crash and probably burn right away. If not right away, then an hour later after so much pain and suffering. Fun. 

But right now, he felt great, so they were going in after Squip and stopping him after they immobilized all the other thralled vampires.

“Okay, is everybody ready?” Jake called, and the pack all cheered. “Remember, we need to find and neutralize Jeremy and Marshal as well as any other vampires you come across. Do  _ not _ bite them until Squip is dead,” he ordered. “And do  _ not _ force a shift unless you are defending yourself or you’re given the order to free the vampires.”

Right, he forgot the original order. He was still a bit out of it when they discussed that this afternoon. Still, everyone cheered out an agreement before walking carefully into the abandoned hotel, letting Brooke, Jake, Dustin, and Michael take more of the lead.

The lobby was big and run down. Most of everything had faded to shades of grey and brown, and there was a thick layer of dust on most surfaces. Jeremy sat in the centre of the room, seemingly perfectly calm. He was staring at a point just above the door. He didn’t seem to see Michael or anyone else, and there were no other vampires in sight.

Michael’s heart beat wildly as he saw Jeremy. He just wanted to run over and hug him, and he would have if Dustin hadn’t held him back with a hand. Looking back at Dustin with wide eyes, he saw him shake his head. “It’s a trap,” Dustin murmured to Michael. He knew it was true, but Michael wanted so badly to love him right then and there. His instincts were screaming at him to do it.

Jake sniffed the air, and Rich did the same as he came in.

“No one else is on this floor,” Rich murmured after a moment. “And... I don’t think he’ll hurt you. That would destroy him, rip him apart from the inside. You should be careful, but I think you’re okay to approach.” 

Jeremy hadn’t moved yet, but his eyes did seem to be focused on Michael. There was something sort of lost in his gaze, like he was searching for something, and Michael wanted nothing more than to hold him and help him find it.

Michael walked towards Jeremy, but moved to the side to see if his gaze followed. It didn’t. It stayed locked to the door, which confirmed something in his head. He didn’t seem to see or hear Michael, nor anyone else, it seemed. What did Squip do to him?

Still, he walked over to Jeremy, feeling his chest ache and tears form in the corner of his eyes. “Remy...”

Jeremy didn’t respond. His nostrils did flare a little as he caught Michael’s scent, but he didn’t even seem to register that. He just stayed staring at the door, confusion etched into his face.

God, he just wanted to shield and protect Jeremy from all the bad Squip had forced Jeremy into. Michael had to gnaw on his lower lip for a second as he walked over to Jeremy, opening his arms wide before hugging him. “You probably can’t even register this right now, but we’re getting you out of here,” Michael murmured. “We’re saving you and everyone else, including Marshal, from Squip.”

Jeremy didn’t so much as twitch, but some of the ache Michael had felt in his chest before faded. Being close to Jeremy, even if he didn’t respond, helped so much. 

“I don’t think he’s actually aware of anyone except himself,” Rich muttered as he got closer.

Dustin hummed. “Maybe this is our chance to get him out of here at least. He won’t be aware of us, so he won’t fight back, right?”

“We don’t know how the coven as a whole will react, what their orders are for if Jeremy is moved,” Brooke said. “They could be ordered to attack if he’s moved.”

Jeremy finally moved a little, whining softly and rubbing as his chest, as if trying to soothe a pain. He seemed to move around Michael without even realizing it.

Oh god, Michael just wanted to cry even more than he was already. “We can’t just do nothing. We can at least be prepared for an attack, but we can’t just leave him here,” he said as he looked up at Jeremy.

Jeremy shuddered harshly, and his hand mechanically went back to his lap, resting there lightly. The pain in his eyes didn't fade in the slightest.

Before Michael could say anything else, Jeremy shuddered again and stood, naturally extracting himself from Michael's hold. He blinked hard a couple of times, and finally focused on Michael. His eyes went wide and started watering, and Michael could tell he was silently begging Michael to do something, but he couldn't tell what.

Michael felt like he wanted to stay and see what Jeremy would do due to his instincts, but his own gut was telling him to not wait. His eyes were watering, and he was suddenly able to notice him. This was a trap. 

“Do you guys not smell anyone else right now?” Michael asked as he looked back at everyone.

"N-" Rich stiffened before he finished his sentence. "Squip's coming. And he's got the whole coven." Jeremy was shivering worse than ever as he managed to minutely shake his head and glance towards the door, desperate for Michael to leave.

“We aren’t leaving Jeremy,” Michael said, his instincts now telling him that looking at Jeremy was a bad idea. “We have a plan and we’re going through with it. We’re stopping Squip and saving everyone.”

Jeremy's shivering got worse as the pack got into a defencive formation, everyone facing outwards and creating a loose circle around Jeremy and Michael. Jeremy cried out as he collapsed, eyes rolling back as he seemed to almost pass out. He stood a moment later, face blank and movements mechanical.

"Like him, Michael?" a voice called from the grand staircase. A man dressed in white was descending from the second floor. "He's become the perfect thrall for me, so obedient and good."

Michael couldn’t help but shiver as he looked at the coven head. He had to be. “I like him without your influence on him,” he said as he kept an eye on Jeremy without looking him in the eye.

“ You could still like him, you just haven't given him a chance yet." Squip smirked. "He's missed you, Michael. He wants you to be together again, but I don't want him leaving home. So we've come up with a compromise."

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure I won’t agree to any compromise that you’ve come up with,” Michael promised. “I like just taking him and going once we’ve dealt with you a lot better.”

"You're gonna deal with me?" Squip laughed, sounding overconfident. "You and what army? The moment any of your friends move, they're dead." Faces appeared around the edge of the lobby, all looking distraught. "Besides, doesn't it sound nice to just... be taken care of? Be loved and adored and not have to worry anymore?”

“Not if you have any say in it. Then I just become another puppet if you’re insisting that I become a thrall. Jeremy would hate himself forever and I wouldn’t have a mind to be able to hate it with him,” Michael countered as he tried to think of how he could do this.... He’d have to be in his werewolf form to be able to pull this idea off.

He'd never forced a change before, but he knew the theory.

Squip came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs, waving his hand at the werewolves around Jeremy and Michael. The two who were by the stairs stiffened and shifted apart, whining softly. God this guy had strong compulsion.

"Are you sure you won't consider it? Not even for a moment?"

“I’m sure you’re going to try to make me, more than likely by force,” Michael pointed out as he tried to start the forced change. He needed a strong reason and urge that only his werewolf side could fulfill.

"Not me," Squip cooed and snapped his fingers. Jeremy snarled and lunged at Michael, his movements somewhat clumsy as he started shivering again.

Michael moved out of the way, focusing on the fact he and his bonded were both in danger. That need and danger both fueled the change in his body that, for once, wasn’t too painful. 

When he landed, Michael was in his werewolf form. Thank god there was enough room in the pack circle for him and Jeremy to dance around for a bit. He had to get Squip into a false sense of cocky security before he could pull this off as well as get him closer.

Jeremy lunged again, and Michael could see that he was no longer hypnotic. Instead, he looked panicked and scared and in so much pain. His face was still a snarl, but his eyes screamed a thousand words, most of them apologies.

Michael knew what he had to do, and he wanted to give apologies right now and reassure Jeremy. Unfortunately, he couldn’t do that in order for his plan to work.

Jeremy’s attacks stayed sloppy, so Michael could dodge them easily. His shivering got worse and worse as he went until his whole body was barely remaining upright.

On a surprisingly good lunge, though, Jeremy managed to grab Michael by the scruff, but he was surprisingly let go a moment later. Michael heard a thud, and looking behind him, Jeremy had fallen to his knees. His hands were balled into fists next to him and his eyes were slammed shut as he looked towards the ground. His shivers were so bad Michael felt sure Jeremy was about to come apart.

Then, Jeremy groaned and managed to flip his head back, exposing his throat. One eye cracked open, focused on Michael. He could see the sad determination present, the apology.

“Would you look at that?” Squip mused almost in wonder, peering at Jeremy from where he stood. “He’d rather die than actually hurt you.”

Michael tried to think for a moment before switching his plan in mind. If Squip thought he would attack Jeremy... Yes, that was a better plan. He also gave a look that hopefully gave an apology to Jeremy. If Jeremy thought he was going to do it, Squip would be more likely to do what Michael wanted him to do. 

Reaching forward, Michael made it seem like he was going to kill Jeremy as he opened his maw wide.

Jeremy whimpered softly but closed his eyes, his smell going from upset to relaxed. Squip seemed intrigued, and he shifted closer to watch.

Just as Squip got close enough, Michael went and gently rested his teeth against Jeremy’s neck. Then, he gently licked his neck while holding his neck in place before pulling back and lunging at Squip, giving him no time to react or defend himself from being pinned.

Squip's eyes were wide as he stared up at Michael, clearly not expecting this turn of events. Michael didn't give him any time to process, grabbing his throat and shaking. Squip's head came off surprisingly easily, rolling off to the side with very little fanfare.

Michael walked over, grabbed Squip’s head in his mouth, and tossed it far away for good measure. He heard it loudly hit a wall, sounding like a rock and making a dent in the wall, before rolling a few feet away. Good.

Jeremy hadn't moved, but his eyes were wide and afraid. A vampire Michael didn't recognize went over to him, soothing him softly and running his fingers through Jeremy's hair. He looked over to Michael and beckoned him over.

Michael cautiously watched before walking over and standing near Jeremy and this vampire. He whined softly down at Jeremy before focusing his gaze at the new vampire.

"You know how to free him, don't you?" the vampire murmured. "That's why Rich is with you. You can't free him yet, since we still have orders. The thrall doesn't break, even after death."

Michael sneezed and nodded before mimicking biting. He pretended like he was going to bite Jeremy’s neck from where he was sitting as well as to the stranger’s neck.

"Please." The vampire nodded. "Free us all." He looked up to the other werewolves, still in their human forms. "Please free us. None of us asked for this life, and none of us willingly followed him. We can't attack if we aren't enthralled, so please. Free us." He tilted his head to the side, offering his neck and shoulder to Michael.

Well, he had his work cut out for him. No one else could move until everyone but Jeremy was bitten. 

Michael walked to be right by the vampire, sniffing his neck before mouthing the area. He then bit the guy, making sure to mimic the bite Jake did but without tearing this guy away, before pulling back and licking his maw.

The guy smiled at him before passing out. His slightly curly hair formed an almost halo around his head. He was certainly beautiful enough to be a sleeping angel. Michael would have to ask Jeremy about who he was and why Jeremy smelled so relaxed around him. 

There was a murmur from the other vampires, who all slowly walked forwards, hands raised in surrender. They knelt down, arms behind their backs. Marshal smiled up at Dustin, tears in his eyes, as he offered his throat for Dustin to bite.

The others in the pack all seemed unsure of what to do, but Dustin acted right away. He transformed before walking over. No one reacted to him, all staying stationary, as Dustin carefully bit down on Marshal’s throat. When he collapsed, Dustin stayed there, wrapped around Marshal as he whimpered and licked him.

Jake handed Rich a bottle of pills before he and the rest of the pack transformed, all starting to work and biting all the vampires. It was a big nest.

Michael didn't move from Jeremy's side, rubbing his head on Jeremy's arm to offer support. Jeremy whimpered, his fists opening and closing slowly. It seemed to be the only motion he could manage.

Michael just continued to support Jeremy as best he could. It hurt him to see Jeremy like this. It might’ve also been the whole bond thing, but he was choosing to focus on other things.

Eventually, all the vampires were taken out, all lying on the ground. Jasmine started leading the pack, getting the vampires more comfortable as Jake came over. He boofed softly, looking towards Jeremy. Jeremy whined softly, eyes opening to look over at Jake. Michael could smell the apology rolling off him. Jake licked Jeremy's cheek in response.

Michael nudged against Jeremy once more before mouthing over Jeremy’s neck. He waited for the proper go-ahead, which Jake gave with a nod, before he bit down like he had with the other vampire. When Michael pulled back, he carefully lapped at the wound.

Jeremy let out a soft sigh, finally untensing. He reached up and carefully stroked Michael once before passing out.

Michael curled right around Jeremy, whimpering softly as he gave Jeremy some kisses. Finally, he was free of Squip, but he just wanted Jeremy to be better right away.

Michael wasn't sure how long passed when Rich came over. He had a wolfsbane pill in his hand, offering it to Michael. 

"You should be human when he wakes up,” Rich suggested. "Derek is already stirring, and the others have found clothes already." Jake, fully human and fully dressed, appeared next to Rich and set down a sheet and some clothes.

"I can cover you up while you get changed if you prefer. It'll just be you and Jeremy under there."

After thinking on it, Michael nodded to that idea. He waited until Jake tossed the sheet over them and Rich’s hand. Sniffing Rich’s hand, he took the wolfsbane pill, huffing as he felt himself in pain as he transformed back. Ow, alright, he hated that. 

Quickly, Michael changed into the long tee, underwear, and shorts. No bra or binder, but it was fine for now. Right now, he only cared about his aching muscles that the pill was helping to reduce the pain of and Jeremy.

Michael could hear people groaning, and heard the shuffling of people leaving, but he didn't care. Jeremy wasn't awake yet, so Michael wasn't moving.

Eventually, though, Jeremy did stir, twitching in Michael's arms before groaning softly and curling closer with a small sigh.

Oh thank god. Michael held Jeremy closer, smiling down at him from under the sheet. He was going to be alright, he was reacting to things and moving and making sounds.

Jeremy slowly opened his eyes, blearily looking up at Michael. "Did you do it?" he mumbled, nuzzling against Michael's chest. "S'it over?"

“It’s over,” Michael promised as he ran a hand through Jeremy’s hair. “Squip’s dead and you’re all free of his thrall.”

Jeremy sighed happily and leaned into his touch. "Mmmm, good... Can I sleep now please? M'tired, but I can only sleep around you... Can we go back to the den and sleep please?"

“Yeah, we can,” Michael murmured as he nuzzled against Jeremy. “Let’s do that. I need Jenna to drive us though, ‘m too tired to drive.”

"M'kay... Let's go sleep then." Jeremy nodded, nuzzling against Michael before falling limp. It wasn't the scary sort of limp, this just seemed to be totally relaxed and happy. They were going to be alright.

  
  



	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey lovelies! Mara here and I’m bringing you the cure for the angst we gave you last chapter. It was a lot, right? So we’re giving you a lot of better stuff. Not that it’s all sunshine and rainbows, Jeremy /is/ still a vampire after all, but it’s better. They’re all recovering in their own ways. Enjoy!
> 
> And now a word from my favourite person :3c
> 
> Hey guys, Ari here!  
> So yeah, last chapter was a lot. Hopefully this recovery chapter will make it up to you guys. Love you all for your continued support!

Michael was glad that finals week has come and gone. Honestly, he had forgotten about it during all of his sick and hazy chaos. But now it was over with and he was able to move permanently in with Jeremy in his apartment. Best summer ever. Now they didn’t have to leave each other, especially since they spent enough direct time together to finish the bond (three days of nonstop being with each other).

He thought about those things when he went to bed with Jeremy, but he only remembered that because he had been woken up by knocking. Grumbling and checking his phone (it was five in the morning, the hell?), Michael managed to wiggle his way out of Jeremy’s hold to answer the door.

The vampire who Michael recognized as the one who comforted Jeremy was standing just outside the door. 

"Er, hi,” he stammered, scratching the back of his head nervously. His voice, though nervous, was deep and rich, like honey. "Can I come in? I'm here to see Jeremy, I wanted to check up on him."

God, his voice sounded like a perfect blend of Cryaotic and Markiplier’s voices. “Yeah, sure,” Michael murmured as he opened the door further before yawning. “He’s sleepin’ right now.”

The guy looked confused. "What, he's zoned out?" He asked as he came in, heading towards the couch and sitting down nervously.

“No, like, he’s actually sleeping,” Michael explained, stretching his arms out as he shut the door and locked it.

"How?"

“I have no clue,” Michael admitted as he went to get himself something to drink. Well, he wasn’t going to sleep now, so he was going to get some juice. “It’s just... happened over time.”

"Wow,” the guy muttered, looking deep in thought. "Must be because you're a werewolf, and Rich said something about a bond?" He shook his head. "Anyways, I'm Derek. Sorry for not introducing myself earlier. I'm now the head of the coven, and even if Jeremy isn't a part anymore, I still wanted to check on my little brother."

Michael walked back out with his cup of juice, holding his free hand out for Derek to take. “I’m Michael. I don’t blame you for not introducing yourself earlier, it was hell on earth before and you must’ve had a lot on your plate to fix everything.”

Derek shook his hand with a smile. "For sure. Luckily, all us oldies have had support with the transition, and we've been helping the younger ones." He flopped back. "I was the first in the coven, the first he changed, so being free of his tight control is amazing. Thanks for that." Derek relaxed on the couch, looking content.

“Yeah, of course. I can’t imagine being under that asshole’s control,” he murmured before sitting down on the free couch space. “Uh, if you don’t mind me asking... How old are you?”

"Hmm, about... six hundred? I'm not totally sure, if I'm honest. Common people didn't really keep track of the dates too well back then." He hummed. "France was a mess though. Jeanne d'Arc... she was... wow."

Oh shit. “Wow, yeah. We sorta just call her Joan of Arc now,” Michael said as he took a few sips of his juice. Mm, cranberry.

"Oh. I know." Derek chuckled. "But old habits die hard. I was born in one of the Germanic nations, but my family moved to France when I was young. I was part of the army Jeanne lead." He sighed fondly. "My name is actually Theodoric. A bit archaic, even in my time, but I'm still rather fond of it."

Michael cocked his head to the side at that name. Huh. He didn’t look like a Theodore. “Where did ‘Derek’ come from?”

"Theodoric. Derek." He shrugged. "I'm not a fan of the name Theo, and when we came to the US, Derek was just gaining popularity. It was... I kinda reminded me of my own name, so I started using it."

Oh, made sense. “Well I’m glad you were able to find a name you liked,” Michael said before he realized something. “God, I’m being a rude host. Uh, anything I can get you? I could make you a red slushie.”

"A slushie?" Derek quirked an eyebrow. "I know Jeremy loves those, but I've never tried one before."

“Would you _ like _ to try one?”

"Er, sure." Derek shrugged. "I might as well see what all the fuss is about. Thanks."

“They’re great, first off. Jeremy and I met because of them,” Michael said as he walked into the kitchen and turned on the maker (it was almost always plugged in). “Second, they keep your blood craving down a bit.”

"Wait, really?" Derek asked, following Michael out. "So  _ that's _ how Jeremy did it. The rest of us could only go a few days without feeding, he could go for weeks. His slushie thing must have been the reason why."

“Yeah, it was,” Michael said. “He probably didn’t say anything ‘cause of Squip. If you were next in line to be head of the coven, it makes sense that he couldn’t tell you.”

"Yeah for sure." Derek nodded. "Speaking of, I'm actually thinking of disbanding once everyone's been taught how to hunt safely. The whole set up has got too many bad associations."

“Unless people really wanted to stay together, then that’s good,” Michael agreed as he got the ice in the slushie marker along with the flavoring.

"Most of us are good with the idea. It's part of why I wanted to talk to Jeremy, I wanted to see if he'd be okay with some of us staying in his territory." Derek was watching Michael work curiously, clearly enjoying himself.

"So this is- Oh, yeah, he's been free and claimed this area for the past little while," Michael murmured as he got two cups out. By the time this was done, Jeremy would probably be awake because he'd hear this going and because Michael himself would've been gone for too long.

"Yeah, and also he's claimed the whole area the pack has. No vampires can hunt there without a lot of issues." Derek nodded. "He's gone out of his way to protect you guys, and... Well, I wanna stay with him and also get to know the pack better. I know Jasmine is lovely, and I just wanna learn to live again. Werewolves seem to be the key to that, if Jeremy and Marshal are any indicator."

Michael felt like he knew how, somewhere deep in his subconscious, but he was too tired to think of it. It was still five in the fucking morning. "Yeah, I guess so," Michael murmured before taking a few more sips of his juice.

As he said that, a bleary-eyed Jeremy shuffled out of the den room and over to Michael, almost purring as he wrapped himself around his boyfriend. "Where'd y'go, Mikey? The bed's goin' cold without you and I wanna cuddle," he mumbled, pressing a sleepy kiss to Michael's cheek and nuzzling against his shoulder.

"Uh, I came to answer the door. We have a guest, you haven't even acknowledged him," Michael said as he rested his head against Jeremy's. "I'm makin' slushies for him  _ and _ you."

"Mmmm, you're so sweet," Jeremy cooed before looking over to Derek. "Oh, hey Derek. How's it goin'?"

"It goes well, my bro." Derek put on a bit of a skater boy tone in his voice. "I'm here to talk to you about some stuff."

"Sure, just lemme-" Jeremy yawned and Derek looked mystified. "Wake up a bit first."

“I told you he was sleeping,” Michael said as he got straws out and put them preemptively in the large cups.

Jeremy rubbed at his eyes and let his glasses fall haphazardly onto the bridge of his nose. "M'kay, Derek, wha'd'ya need?"

Derek had to shake himself to actually be able to respond. "I'm thinking of disbanding the coven, and I wanna know if some of us are okay to stay in your territory so long as we're respectful of how we hunt." Jeremy hummed as he thought, staying wrapped around Michael.

"Like, he's obviously not gonna come after any of us," Michael said before pressing a kiss to Jeremy's temple. "And they'll be a lot better than how things were before."

"No, I know, I'm just trying to figure out how many the territory can sustain with the rules I've got in place," Jeremy responded, turning his head to peck Michael's lips before turning back to Derek. "I can allow five to stay at most, maybe seven at a push, but they'd need to subsist on slushies for the most part."

Derek thought that over before nodding. "Rich wants to stay, along with me and Marshal, so that should work," he agreed with a nod. "We'd all be down for that."

"Fine,” Jeremy whined. "Then can we head to the couch? I wanna cuddle and you're still sleepy." He, albeit reluctantly, detached from Michael's side.

Michael nodded to that. "Since you're here, 'm probably gonna finish my juice and tap out as a good host to sleep." As he said that, he started pouring the slushies out.

“Oh shit, right,” Derek muttered. “I sort of forgot about sleep for you... How about, once I’ve finished my slushie, I head out and come back after sunset. I wouldn’t want to intrude more than I already have, and I certainly don’t want to ruin cuddle time.”

"At this point, 'm gonna sleep for longer anyway since I got woken," Michael said as he finished pouring a slushie, starting on the next. "You can just stay, 'm sure Jeremy'll be up talking with you for a bit."

“You sure?” When Michael nodded, Derek smiled. “I’ll try not to keep your cuddle bud too long, Michael. Promise.” Derek accepted the slushie from Michael and took a sip. He hummed happily at the taste and started slurping it down happily.

“Want me to carry you to the den?” Jeremy offered softly.

He nodded to that offer as he took Jeremy's cup as well as his own.

Jeremy smiled softly and kissed Michael's temple. "I'll be right back, Derek. Make yourself at home on the couch, I'm just gonna get Michael to the den." Derek nodded and walked out. "C'mon, love. Let's get you back to bed."

"Well, I need you to carry me first," Michael murmured as he held the cups carefully. "I'll hold the goods while you hold me."

Without another word, Jeremy scooped Michael into his arms bridal style and headed straight for the den. His scent seemed stronger for some reason, and Michael could actually smell it without having to focus.

Michael rested his head on Jeremy’s shoulder, humming happily as he kept a good hold on their cups.

By the time they made it to the den, Michael was almost asleep. Jeremy set Michael down carefully, taking the cups and tucking him in under the weighted blanket Michael loved. "Back soon," he cooed, pressing a kiss to Michael's forehead.

“Alright...” Michael felt himself yawn as he shut his eyes and let himself relax. “Love you, Remy.”

"I love you too, Mikey." Michael heard the door close shut and he let himself drift off back to a blissful sleep.

  
  
  


Michael heard the front door to the apartment click shut, and he quickly shut his laptop lid and hurried out the den. Jeremy was home from his hunt! 

Michael's enthusiasm dropped considerably when he saw Jeremy, who was hovering awkwardly by the door. He was pale, paler than usual, and he just looked... gaunt. Dark circles were under his eyes and his lips actually had an almost blue tinge to them. He hadn't eaten, that much was clear, and he was on the edge of suffocation.

He walked right over to Jeremy, carefully taking him by the arm as he walked him in. Jeremy hadn’t drank, it had been about three weeks, and he needed something. 

“Jeremy, you need to drink and you’re going to drink what you need from me. Got it?”

"Wha-? Mikey, I'm fine," Jeremy protested weakly, but he did let Michael lead him. "I just... wasn't hungry tonight. I found someone and just... I could have, I just didn't want to. Yeah." 

“Your lips are literally blue. You haven’t drank anything in three weeks,” Michael said as he sat Jeremy down on the couch. “You  _ need _ to drink.”

Jeremy whined softly. "I can't drink without the thrall making me. I've always hated it." He sighed after a moment, looking away. "I just- I can't do it."

“Please, Jeremy. You’re going to starve yourself otherwise,” Michael reminded him as he sat down beside him. “Plus, my blood’s the only blood you like, and I’m offering it to you. That makes it better and easier.”

Jeremy sighed and nuzzled his way into the crook of Michael's neck, but he hesitated and tried to pull back. "Mikey, I can't-"

Michael reached up and gently held his head. If Jeremy  _ really _ wanted to pull away, he could. “You can. You need to. Please. You could die if you don’t, and I can’t lose you.”

That seemed to be the clincher, since Jeremy stopped struggling. He was shaking a little as Michael felt Jeremy's fangs slip out, and he braced himself.

As always, it was a small pinch, then bliss overtook him. It felt different than it used to. Where as before, Michael was just generally happy and relaxed, now he was happy and relaxed and had some  _ clarity _ in his head. If he focused on Jeremy, he could focus and relax no problem, but it also meant he could think if he wanted to.

Jeremy drank for a couple of minutes, taking small sips instead of long gulps, when he pulled back. There was no blood spilled, and he was already looking better, his lips no longer blue and the circles under his eyes not as deep.

It was a big step. Michael wanted him to drink more, to get a healthy fill, but this was progress. "Thank you Remy," he murmured, shifting his head enough to kiss Jeremy's hair. "You're lookin' a lot better right now."

"And you're a lot more coherent than last time." Even his voice sounded stronger. He tugged Michael down to lie down on top of him.

“I feel a lot more coherent. I’m able to think like this,” Michael said as he lay down. “Maybe the thrall was doing more to us than we thought, even with this.”

"Or maybe it's 'cause of the completed bond," Jeremy theorised. "Either way, you look all bleary and it's adorable." He leaned up to peck Michael's lips. "Mmmm, even better than your blood."

Michael smiled down at Jeremy before kissing his forehead. “Aww, thank you.” He leaned down to press peppering kisses across Jeremy’s face, over every freckle.

Jeremy giggled, then licked his lips. He clearly was too thirsty to not drink, but Michael also knew that Jeremy wasn't likely to drink more than he already had..

When he finished peppering Jeremy's face in kisses, he gave him a quick peck on the cheek before returning to his earlier position. "You can drink more. I'd rather you drink more than less right now. Plus, it's summer. I don't have a job right now and have no classes, so I'm fine."

"Are you sure, Mikey?" Jeremy asked slowly, clearly tempted, as he nuzzled his way back into the crook of Michael's neck. "I don't wanna take any if you're not totally sure."

"I'm totally sure," Michael assured Jeremy. "You just have to take extra good care of me after all of this."

"Always," Jeremy promised. He bit down once more and began drinking.

Michael shut his eyes as he let the bliss and relaxation overtake him further, even if his thoughts stayed. Honestly, he liked being able to think, even if he wasn't sure if they would be super clear by the end of this. Some thinking was better than no thinking.

His thoughts _ were _ still present when Jeremy pulled back and sealed his bite. He felt just fine, just a little fuzzy. He liked feeling this way, and there was no doubt Jeremy looked better.

"Mm, now y're entitled to take care 'f me," Michael said as he felt himself being adjusted to lie against Jeremy, presumably his chest. "Hah. It was a ploy t'make you feel better in order to take care of me."

"You say that as if it's a bad thing," Jeremy murmured, pressing a kiss to Michael's temple. "When actually, taking care of you is something I not only enjoy, it's something I look forward to." Heh, that was so gay. "Yes it was. I'm very gay for you, love."

Was he saying his thoughts out loud? “Yes you are, Mikey.” Oh. 

“Well, I’m glad y’re so gay for me, Remy,” Michael murmured as he nuzzled himself against Jeremy’s chest. “I’m extremely gay for you too.”

“And that makes me very happy,” Jeremy cooed, pressing a kiss to Michael’s head again. “Besides feeling very gay, how are you doing right now?”

“Mm... I feel a bit fuzzy, but ‘m good,” Michael told him as he smiled happily. Jeremy gave amazing head kisses. “How’re you? Feelin’ full?”

“No, but I’m doing a lot better,” Jeremy admitted. “I’m not starving anymore, and I can breathe. That’s enough for now.”

“Mm, that’s good, at least...” After sighing, Michael glanced up at Jeremy. “How ‘bout next feedin’ time, y’just drink from me? It’ll make things easier...”

Jeremy shook his head. "You need a few weeks to recover from this in the first place. I took way more than I would with a donor or a regular feeder. I'll..." He sighed. "I'll figure out something."

“Mm, I know y’will,” Michael said as he smiled up at Jeremy. “You’re smart an’ all that.”

Jeremy rubbed their noses together. "You're smarter. I'm sure together we can brainstorm something up. Later though." He grinned at Michael. "After you've had a chance to work the venom out your system."

“Mm... Fine.” He huffed before his stomach grumbled. “OK, you ate, but now I’m hungry. You still gotta feed me.”

"Of course," Jeremy hummed. "You want some negimaki? Since it's beef, it'll be good for you right now."

Oh, negimaki! Jeremy had some ready? “Yes please! I love you so much Remy,” Michael cooed as he kissed Jeremy’s covered chest.

Jeremy giggled softly. "I'll be right back, okay? I just gotta go grab it for you." He shifted so Michael was left lying on his back on the couch before he stood up and headed to the kitchen. God, Jeremy was just so good to him.

  
  
  


Michael was more than happy to have Jenna come for a pack meeting (she decided to live with Brooke in an apartment, they split rent). She hadn’t said  _ why _ she wanted to come, not to him or Brooke, so Michael’s curiosity was starting to eat away at him. Still, he wouldn’t pry. If she wanted to say, she would (though he hoped she’d tell so he didn’t die of curiosity).

The pack meeting was being held at the old vampire nest, now abandoned but still technically owned by Derek, who was Squip's heir. It meant the vampires, who had all been made part of the pack, could join too and it also gave the pack somewhere to transform and hide anything they needed.

Jeremy met Michael and Jenna by the door, hugging Jenna tightly with a bright smile before wrapping himself around Michael. "We've set up the old meeting room so it should be good for the pack now. Got the comfy chairs in there and everything." He grinned.

“It’s still so weird to think that you guys could, and probably still can, casually buy an apartment complex,” Michael murmured, wrapping an arm around Jeremy. 

“That’s what old money can do for someone,” Jenna pointed out as Michael held his free hand out to her. She took it, smiling fondly over at him, before they started walking to the old meeting room. They had to follow Jeremy’s directions on how to get there.

It was pretty easy to find, just behind the lobby on the first floor, and Michael was glad to see everyone was there and looking relaxed. It wasn't a massive building, so it had been easy to clean of the overpowering vampire smell, but Michael knew people were still antsy about it sometimes.

"Hey Michael! Hey Jenna!" Jake grinned as he jogged over, followed closely by Rich. The two had gotten a lot closer in recent weeks, and Michael was starting to suspect they might have a thing going on. There was a sort of interesting smell between them after all, which Jeremy had described as 'Lovey-Dovey.’

“Hey Jake,” Jenna said, looking Jake over with a raised brow. “I’m getting the obvious out of the way: You and Rich are dating, right?” 

Rich instantly tried to feign ignorance, but Jake’s wide eyes and overdone denial confirmed it. “Hey, it’s alright. You two are just obvious. Even  _ I _ can tell,” Michael said... in a teasing tone. Hey, he wanted to still tease them a bit for it. Payback was a bitch, Jake.

Jeremy sniffed the air before nodding and smirking, nudging Michael. "It's more than dating." He grinned like a cat who had cornered a mouse. "Can't you smell it, love? They're becoming _like_ _us_."

Rich didn’t seem too amused by that as he shoved Jeremy by the shoulder, making Michael stumble a little. “Shut it, both of you.”

"Why should I?" Jeremy grinned as he stepped away from Michael. Rich snarled and launched himself at Jeremy, and the two rolled away, snarling and wrestling and giggling as they had their playfight.

“You two make a cute couple, by the way,” Jenna said, and Jake just grinned as he rubbed the back of his head. 

“Thanks, Jen.”

“No prob,” she said, taking out her phone as she went to take a seat with Michael.

A couple of minutes later, a rather ruffled Jeremy and Rich came over and sat next to their respective partners, breathing hard and grinning brightly. Michael often forgot that Jeremy held back most of the time with most things, so him having a chance to get his energy out was great. Also he just looked really cute all messy like this.

“Have fun?” Michael asked as he placed a lingering kiss to Jeremy’s cheek and smiled. “It sure seems like you did.”

Jeremy leaned into the kiss, grinning wildly and contentment rolling off him in waves. "Yeah. Rich and I haven't had a good wrestle in years, so that was awesome."

"Alright, if everyone is ready, we only have a couple of announcements to make." Jake stood up and got everyone's attention. "First off, we have a new proper member to the pack. Since their bond is now complete, Marshal is now a member instead of an honorary member."

Everyone clapped for him, and Marshal just smiled from where he sat with Dustin. He seemed to be getting pleasure from the attention, especially when Dustin gave lots of thumbs up. Marshal gently shoved Dustin, but Dustin grabbed his hands and tugged him close to press kisses to his face. Sickeningly sweet, though they deserved all of it.

Jake waited for the applause to finish before continuing. "Also, I have found my Bonded and we are currently forming it now. Rich and I... we're happy together. He'll be helping to manage the vampire members of the pack, so anyone who has any issues as a vampire or  _ with _ a vampire needs to go to him first."

Rich gave a little salute to the general crowd, and everyone applauded for that. It died down though for Jake to cover the basics for the next coming full moon. “We have this apartment open for us to transform, reminder. Derek was nice enough to offer it as a place to store our things and even sleep afterwards if we have the time or opportunity to do so. As it is close enough to the edge of the city, we will be able to head out to the forest without any issues, and we'll have a large stash of food for everyone when we get back." 

There was an appreciative mumble from the pack, and Michael saw most people nodded. "Okay, last announcement isn't from me. Jenna? If you'd like to take the stage?" Jake sat down and Jenna stood up, taking a deep breath.

Michael gently gave her a little nudge from where he was sitting. “You got this, Jenna,” he encouraged with a warm smile and a thumbs up.

She nodded and relaxed somewhat. "I'm here because I want to formally ask to join the pack, including becoming a werewolf." Okay, Michael was  _ not _ expecting that.

Everyone seemed to be as taken aback and surprised as Michael was. Michael managed to shake the shock off enough to ask, “Why?”

"Because, I've never felt more at home with  _ anyone _ than I have with the pack, but... I'm still not a part of it, not really." Jenna sighed. "I want to be a proper part of this, and I want to be able to properly join you on the full moon. And... I've been thinking about this for a long time, so it's not a split second choice." She shifted to look at Michael and shoot him a smile. "And, if possible, I want you to be the one to turn me."

Oh wait, what? “Why me? Have you thought about the consequences in terms of your future?” Michael asked as he sat up a bit better. He had to be convinced by Jenna to do this, and he could only be if Jenna was one hundred and ten percent sure on this too.

"I have. A lot." Jenna nodded. "I want to be a writer, and my family is wealthy enough that I don't need to worry about money ever." She sighed. "And, honestly, they're family in name only. I never felt at home with them like I do in the pack. And I want to properly be able to be a part of this, not just on the outskirts. Being the only human in a family of supernaturals isn't easy, but I'd never want to leave you guys." Even Michael could smell her sincerity and honesty, as well as how hopeful she was.

“And you’d even want to deal with the other weird stuff outside of the full moons?” Michael asked, having to be double sure as he took one of Jenna’s hands.

"I would." She nodded with certainty. "I have been helping you with your stuff for over a year now, Mikey. I know what to expect and I'm ready for it."

“Your first transformation is gonna be very disorienting,” Michael warned her as he pulled her hand a bit closer. Jenna had mentioned on the drive over that she ‘accidentally’ cut her finger that morning.

“I know.” Jenna nodded. “I’m ready. Plus, I’ll have the pack to look after me when it happens, right?” There was a soft agreement from everyone there. “Then I’ll be fine.”

He sighed before giving Jenna a warm smile. “Uh, Jake, I can still do it when I’m not transformed, right?” Jake nodded and Michael took off her bandaid. “You owe me ‘cause it’s gonna be weird for me to lick your cut.”

“A long kiss should actually be enough,” Jake added helpfully.

“OK, you owe me for giving your finger a long kiss,” Michael said before doing just that over Jenna’s cut. So weird.

Nothing seemed to change, but a small tap to his shoulder by Jeremy told him he could stop. “It’s taken. She’ll turn on the next moon.” Jenna looked beyond happy, and she launched herself at Michael, hugging him tight.

Michael couldn’t help but grin as he hugged Jenna back. “Well, we won’t need to worry about me being your dog anymore. Dustin  _ might _ have to supply you with weed now.”

Jenna chuckled. "Or the vamps just do what they've been planning and bottle some venom for us each month." Jeremy ducked his head, clearly abashed that he had been caught.

“Wait, what?” Michael looked at Jeremy and whined. “You didn’t tell me that you were doing this! Remy!”

"It was Derek's idea! I just taught them how to bottle the venom."

“You didn’t tell me about this Remy, it still defaults to you,” Michael said, playfully narrowing his eyes at his boyfriend.

Jeremy flailed a little, looking helpless. "I thought it was gonna be an announcement at the meeting? Besides, I already do it directly for you,” he whined, pouting.

“But I still wanna know! I would think you’d tell me  _ personally _ about this,” Michael pointed out before poking Jeremy.

Jeremy grumbled and crossed his arms, and for a split second it almost looked like he was blushing. It faded instantly though, so he just shrugged it off. A pouty Jeremy was much more interesting than a trick of the light.

Still, he brought Jeremy closer and kissed his forehead. “You’re not charging people for it, right? Because that would be rude.”

Jeremy scoffed. "Of course we're not. Why would we charge our family for something that's gonna help them?" He didn't stop pouting but he did lean closer to Michael.

“I mean, Dustin  _ did _ charge me for my weed-“

“I need to keep an income and I gave you a good discount, so shut your face, Michael,” Dustin called.

Everyone chuckled at that. "Well we don't need money and we produce it naturally so we don't need to buy it. No point in charging for it."

“You guys are so much nicer-“

“I have to make an income to afford food as a broke college student, Michael. Don’t be rude to me.”

"Leave Dustin alone, Mikey." Marshal chuckled from across the circle. "He's doing his best."

"Yeah Mikey, leave the boy alone." Jeremy stuck out his tongue.

“Mm, fine. Only because Jeremy told me to,” Michael said, laughing at Dustin’s look of faux anguish.

Jeremy was still pouting as Jake finished the meeting and people started leaving. Since the sun was still up, Jeremy wasn't going to leave yet, so neither was Michael. While sunlight wouldn't kill Jeremy, it did hurt and Michael didn't mind waiting a bit longer. Brooke was taking Jenna back with her.

Michael shifted to place a kiss to Jeremy’s cheek. “Wanna just relax for a bit and go back? We can stop by Seven-Eleven on the way back,” he offered.

"Are you gonna be grumpy at me for not telling you?" Jeremy was clearly fighting off a smile through his pout.

“Not as long as you buy me a huge slushie.”

Jeremy snickered and smiled properly at last. "Deal."

  
  
  


Everyone seemed to be set with the rules of Jeremy’s territory. Everything was working without a hitch, and Jeremy was excited for the change that was coming for everyone. Finally, everyone would get to move on from Squip’s terrible reign and continual influence on their lives. 

That is, until Michael came to Jeremy when he got home from getting groceries. “Uh... Jeremy? Someone taped a letter for you on the door. It reeks of vampires, and not vampires that we know,” he called from the kitchen.

“Wait really? I didn’t know there were any covens in the area.” Jeremy headed over and took the letter from Michael. “Huh, you’re right. I don’t recognize this smell at all, and... most covens give Squip’s territories a wide miss for about a decade after he left, so who could...?” He peered at the letter. The handwriting was familiar somehow, but he couldn’t place why.

“It says that the owner of the territory needs to meet with the coven in the park at... midnight.” Well this couldn’t be good. “Mikey, do you think I can call the pack for backup with this? I don’t want to risk anything and if these guys aren’t friendly...”

“Well, does it say for you to come alone?” Jeremy shook his head. “Then it’s fair game, they didn’t say  _ not _ to. I’ll be with you too along with whoever in the pack can come.”

Jeremy nodded. “I’ll send a text to the vampires, you wanna text Jake? He can find out and meet us on the edge with whoever can make it.”

“Yeah, that sounds like a plan. I’m gonna be by your side though, no matter what you say,” Michael told him as he took out his phone.

A few hours later, Jeremy was shifting nervously at the edge of the park. The werewolves were supposed to be arriving any second and then the whole group would head into the park. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t nervous.

Jeremy could smell the other coven. It was at least as big as Squip’s at a guess, but not as strong. Still, with the pack behind him, Jeremy would be fine. Probably.

“Hey, Remy, everything’s gonna be fine,” Michael assured him from where he was leaning against the park’s brick sign.

Jeremy couldn’t help but keep pacing. “Yeah but if things go south, people could get hurt. I don’t want to do this wrong. What if someone gets hurt because of me?”

“No one will get hurt because of you, Remy. I’m here to help you with anything as well as keep you calm.” Jeremy felt Michael’s hand hold his. “We can do this.”

Jeremy sighed and couldn’t help but relax somewhat. Stupid Bonded pheromones tailored to make him calm.

“Yeah, you’re right. We’ll be fine, I just have to be strong about this.” He nodded.

“Exactly.” Michael reached forward and with his free hand and booped his nose. “Just listen to lil’ ol’ Mikey.”

Jeremy chuckled, relaxing somewhat. The loud sounds of the pack approaching caught his attention. He got ready. A quick talk to Jake and then he’d be leading the interaction insider.

Jake walked over with mostly everyone in his pack. Jasmine and her boys were both gone (who had started to call him Uncle Jeremy and he adored that and them). “Hey Jere.”

“Jake.” Jeremy saluted. “Everyone. You all ready for this?”

They all nodded. “Is there anything else that we need to know before we back you up?”

“It’s a coven at least as big as Squip’s.” Jeremy nodded. “Otherwise, I’ve given you all a rundown on dealing with vampires. That’s the most I can offer.” He turned towards the park once more, taking Michael’s hand and setting off.

The group  _ was _ large, Jeremy realized as they got to the meeting spot. It was clearly the size of Squip’s, and there was something familiar about the person in front. The head seemed to be... Jeremy couldn’t place him, but his curly hair and handsome features were familiar. The others were sort of obscured by the way they were standing, but Jeremy knew he recognized one of their scents that he picked up.

“Hello. What’s your business in my territory?” he called, stopping with the pack about twenty feet from the coven.

The leading figure took a step closer, but not in a threatening manner. “We wanted to know what happened to Squip. This used to be his territory, and we would always come in after he left to do things in his steed as clean-up. But you’re here after he’s gone away.”

“Squip is dead. His coven is disbanded.” Jeremy kept his tone factual, neutral. “His business is no more so if that’s what you’re here for, your purpose is gone.”

“That is one of the reasons we came. Another is we wanted to know what happened exactly to certain coven members. It seems like you’re the only vampire here, and, as coven head, I want to know what happened to them.” There was a slight falter in the vampire’s tone. “I want to see my brother again and finally be able to let him know that what Squip made him do isn’t his fault. I know everyone else in my coven wants to do the same to their respective friend, family, or otherwise.”

That caused Jeremy to pause. “You... were all turned because of Squip? And your brother...” Pieces clicked into place, and Jeremy turned to face the pack. “Theodoric, I think it’s-“

Derek was by Jeremy’s side in an instant, and as soon as his eyes locked onto the other vampire, he bolted over. The other vampire did the same, the two of them hugging as they both seemed unable to properly comprehend what was happening. “Oh my god, you aren’t gone. You’re here and I can- You are-“

“Yes, it’s me, Theo.”

“Oh shut it, you know I hate being called that, Johan,” Derek almost sobbed, seemingly of relief and joy more than anything else, before he clung to his brother’s form and wept.

They both devolved into a guttural form of German which Jeremy barely understood, but he didn’t care. It was a touching moment, and it got Jeremy’s gears spinning in his head. If Johan was here, did that mean...?

“Rich, Marshal... go ahead.” Jeremy was shaking somewhat as he realized what this could mean. It had been centuries, did he dare believe?

Marshal took a second to run ahead while Rich booked it, crying out for his friend. As he watched them go, he saw a familiar face appear, one Jeremy had forgotten the look of until now. How could he have forgotten her face? 

“Jeremy?”

“Christine!” Jeremy couldn’t help but sprint forward, grabbing onto his best friend of so long ago and sobbing hard. “You’re here. Oh god, you’re alive. I’m so sorry, Chrissy, I’m so sorry.”

Christine clung to him and god, he was remembering so many little things. She giggled and god, it was so melodic. “I don’t blame you at all. Johan and Chloe explained it to me when they took me in. I’m glad I finally get to see you again. I’ve missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you so much too, love. God, I thought I’d killed you and I- oh god Chrissy. I love you so much and I’ve missed you so much.” Memories he’d tried burying for so long finally made themselves known again. Snippets of growing up as Anna, his ‘death,’ and subsequent rebirth as Jeremy. His engagement to Christine and how much he loved her. True, he loved Michael more and in a different way now, but he did truly love Christine back then. It carried forward.

Christine just let out the joyous laughter, the same one she let out when Jeremy took her to see Shakespeare. “I love you too, my dear.” She reached up and gave him a peck on the nose. “I know you’ve moved on, at least in terms of love. I have too, but I still love you, just... in a different way.” Christine reached up with a hand and cupped Jeremy’s cheek. “I can smell that you’re Bonded with that cute werewolf over there.”

Jeremy chuckled weakly. “How do you know about werewolves and bonding?” he asked. “But yes, that’s my one. I...” He turned his head and beckoned Michael over. He needed the support because this was too much all at once and he was freaking out as much as he was loving every second of it.

“I’ve had a lot of time to learn things. Our thrall Squip put on us kept us from ever being allowed to have intimate relations with them, but never that we couldn’t learn about them,” Christine said as Michael walked over. 

Michael waved to Christine, hiding a little behind Jeremy and even squatting down as he held Jeremy’s hand. He even squeezed his hand.

“He’s gone now. And we have a way of removing the thrall entirely.” Jeremy sniffled, squeezing Michael’s hand. “Mikey, this is Chrissy. She’s my best friend. Chrissy, this is Mikey, he’s also my best friend and my Bonded.”

Michael waved at Christine from what Jeremy could see in his peripheral vision. Christine just lit up as she waved back. “It’s nice to meet you, Mikey.”

“It’s actually Michael, but Jeremy calls me Mikey as a nickname. You can still call me Mikey, but, uh... Yeah.”

Jeremy giggled wetly. “I’m overwhelmed, I’m not thinking straight.” He snorted. “Then again, I’ve never been straight.” God, he was making bi jokes now, so he really  _ was _ overwhelmed. “Your coven can stay with us today. And I can direct everyone to their respective people, I know where everyone was headed. For now... you guys just wanna head back to my apartment?” Michael was also getting overwhelmed and Jeremy didn’t want to cause him to freak out.

Michael weakly nodded, squeezing Jeremy’s hand while Christine also nodded. “I wanna see what you’ve been doing for yourself. I know I’ve been curious, and everyone will want to be with their lost person.”

“I’ll-“ Jeremy scrubbed around his eyes and he tried to recover from the voice crack. “I’ll go tell everyone where the nest is. It’ll smell of werewolf, but it’ll be safe there and there are blood bags if anyone’s hungry.”

Jake came over and patted his shoulder. “I got this, dude. You go back home, you all need it.”

Jeremy squeezed Jake’s hand. “Thanks man. You remember where the list of phone numbers is?”

“Mhmm, I know. You even got it laminated. Just go relax and catch up.”

Jeremy nodded and tried to stand up. His legs were shaking, but he managed it along with Christine and Michael on either side of him. Michael was pressed close, and Christine was almost the same. “I’m... Let’s get home. We have a lot to catch up on, and this has honestly been exhausting. M’gonna need a nap after this, Mikey.”

“I don’t blame you, I’ll need one too,” Michael murmured while Christine gaped. 

“Wait, you can sleep? How?”

“Michael,” was Jeremy’s only answer. In the end, that was always his answer.

As he started towards home, he took a moment to be grateful. His best friend survived. And he had Michael. Jeremy had his two favorite people back in his life and he couldn’t be happier. After a nap and probably some more tears, he would be ready to finally live with them all. Michael gave him a reason to live, not just survive, and now Christine was back and, well, Jeremy had never felt so alive.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey lovelies! This is it! We’ve gotten to the end of the pain train and our boys have made it out alive. This fic was a ride to write, and it’s so important in the grand scheme of things. Remember, it has proven that our stories share a multiverse, a Mariverse, if you will ;3c that’s gonna be important one day. Plus, puppy Michael. This fic is important for that fact alone. I hope you enjoy the fluffy epilogue. Enjoy!
> 
> And now a word from my favourite person ;3c
> 
> Hey guys, Ari here!  
> So, this fic is finally coming to an end. I really hope you guys enjoyed, even if it was an extremely painful journey, especially at some stretches. I hope this ending also makes all the suffering worth it. ;3c Enjoy!!!

“Mikeyyyy,” Jeremy whined from the den. “Mikey, my chest feels weird.” It was about an hour and a half after a feeding and Michael was only just free of the venom daze. Normally Jeremy gave him space to relax afterwards, so him calling out like this was odd. Michael was glad he didn’t have school today, since if Jeremy was being needy, Michael probably wouldn’t be able to get away.

“What do you mean it feels weird?” Michael asked from the kitchen. He was getting himself a can of Ecto Cooler to sip on. He’d definitely need to sip on it over time if he was going to be busy helping Jeremy (which he didn’t mind at all, he just knew that once he reentered the den room, he’d be unable to leave without Jeremy).

“I dunno, it’s just  weird ,” Jeremy whined again. Huh, normally Jeremy was very good at describing what was wrong.

That wasn’t good if he could describe it. “Weird is too vague of a term, Remy,” Michael said as he grabbed his thermos and cap. He started screwing the cap on as he walked to the den room.

Jeremy was curled up in the nest, arms wrapped tightly around his chest as he stayed curled up in near fetal position. He looked up at Michael with teary eyes, clearly overwhelmed with whatever was wrong. “Mikey, help,” he whimpered.

Alright, his instincts kicked in and he put down his thermos before planting himself right by Jeremy’s side. “Let me feel your chest first to see if we can figure out what’s wrong, yeah?”

Jeremy nodded pathetically and shifted so Michael had access to his chest. “S’like a pressure almost but not.”

Michael pressed his hand on Jeremy’s warm (wait,  warm ?) chest. He could feel something, almost fluttery, under his hand. Was that…

Was that a heartbeat?

He had to be sure. Michael bent down, carefully pressed the side of his head over Jeremy’s heart, and listened. 

He felt and heard Jeremy’s heart beat, even if it was slow. He had a heartbeat. 

“Oh my god... Oh my god!”

Jeremy whined, seemingly totally oblivious to what Michael had realized. He didn’t put the pieces together, and how could he? He hadn’t had a heartbeat in over four hundred years.

“Jeremy, you... You have a heartbeat again,” Michael explained, slowly lifting his head up as he stared at Jeremy with a reassuring smile.

Jeremy frowned, then whimpered again as he curled tighter in on himself. “Can’t have a heartbeat. S’not possible.”

“It is possible, you have one right now. It hurts because you’re not used to it, and it... If it’s going, it has to be pumping blood, it’s why you're warm... The only blood that could be used right now...” Michael gasped as he felt his mind blow. 

“That’s why my instincts have been telling me that I need to give you my blood! It’s helping with all this! It’s helping you live again!”

Jeremy’s confused stare was adorable and heartbreaking almost. Slowly, he released his chest with one hand and reached up to rest his hand over his heart. He sort of choked almost when he felt the heartbeat.

“I’m...  alive ?!” he whispered in both awe and a little fear. “I’m alive.”

“You’re alive,” Michael confirmed as he stayed right by Jeremy’s side. “That’s why you’ve been able to sleep and drink and eat and everything. Every time you’ve fed from me, you’ve become more alive... That’s why Squip never wanted you guys to have intimate relations with werewolves...”

Jeremy looked up at Michael with hopeful eyes, then flinched and curled back into himself with a whimper. What-?

Oh, his heart must have sped up.

Michael carefully shifted himself to lie down beside Jeremy, opening his arms. “Hey, it’s alright. Just lie with me, we’ll calm you down, and then we can talk, yeah?”

Jeremy wiggled his way into Michael’s embrace, nuzzling into the crook of his neck. “Y’still smell s’good as ever,” he commented softly after a minute. “‘Nd I’ve still got my fangs. Can feel them still in my mouth, so m’not human.”

“Well... Maybe you’re on your way to becoming human again. I don’t think you being human from my blood will make my blood change you back with your fangs. You might also have heightened senses... But you’re definitely human.” Michael sniffed Jeremy’s head to be sure.

“M’human?” he asked softly before cooing almost drunkenly. “I’m human. I’m alive. Oh god, Mikey, I’m alive.” He kept repeating the same sort of phrases over and over again, trying to wrap his head around it.

“You are alive. You definitely smell human now,” Michael told him before pressing a lingering kiss to his forehead. “You might need to drink every now and then until your body can properly produce its own blood, but you’re alive.”

“Don’t have to be scared anymore,” he mumbled, finally releasing his chest and wrapping his arms around Michael. “Don’t have to be scared about outliving you anymore. Mikey, I’m alive and I-“ He sort of wheezed, needing to take a deep breath before continuing. “I just ran out of air. I actually have to breathe properly again,” he muttered in wonder.

“You also have to eat and drink and do a lot of other things again,” Michael pointed out before kissing Jeremy’s hair, ignoring the first heartbreaking bit of Jeremy’s fear.

There was a pause. “Mikey, I might be able to go into the  sun again.”

“You  will be able to within a given period of time adjustment. You’ll be able to do so many things now since you won’t have to worry about the sun.”

Jeremy sort of whined, but Michael could tell this was a happy sound rather than a pained sound. “M’gonna miss being able to play with you during the moons since I’m probably gonna become more fragile again...” Jeremy let out a soft ‘oh’ before continuing. “Do you think I might be able to become a werewolf when my body is totally adjusted to being human?”

“I’d have to consult with Jake, but I think that should be possible as long as all of your vampiric traces are gone,” Michael murmured before kissing Jeremy’s forehead.

Jeremy looked up at Michael, eyes brighter than usual without turning to slits. The brown speck was even more clear than before. Michael could see a happy blush on Jeremy’s cheeks as he smiled shyly and hopefully up at Michael.

Michael couldn’t help but smile down at Jeremy, admiring how he could literally see the life fully in Jeremy. He hasn’t realized that he’d been slowly seeing it happen in real time, but when he thought back to how Jeremy first looked when they met, there was definitely a notable difference. 

“Why’re you looking at me like that, Remy?”

“‘Cause I get a proper life with you now. I can live with you and grow old with you and just-“ He sniffled a little as his eyes started welling up with tears. “I get a life with you.”

Before Michael could respond, there was a frantic flurry of knocks on the door to the bedroom/den.

“Michael? Is Jeremy okay? Please open up!” Rich called, sounding panicked. There was a sniffing sound. “Who’s in there with you?”

“Jeremy’s OK, he’s the only one in here with me right now,” Michael said, giving Jeremy a quick peck (his lips were warm too!) before slowly removing himself. He went and opened the door, smiling at Rich. Rich probably lost Jeremy’s vampiric scent and came bustling over, scared half to death. “He’s right in the little nest. He’s very emotional right now though.”

Rich came in slowly. “Marshal said he lost Jeremy’s border when he was out hunting deer, and then Dustin and Chrissy couldn’t find it either so they called me and they’re coming too and-“ Rich spotted Jeremy, who beamed at Rich. It was a wet smile, but so happy.

“Hey Richie,” he mumbled. “M’okay. I promise. More than okay.”

“I’ll let you guys have your moment so I can go let the others in,” Michael said, grabbing his thermos that was by the door.

Jeremy shook his head and made grabby hands at Michael. “Please don’t go. I’m on the edge of a breakdown right now, this is so much,” he begged.

“Holy shit, Jeremy. You have a heartbeat and you’re... you smell human.” Rich slowly walked over to Jeremy and sat on the seat outside the nest.

“Alright, everyone else gets to suffer then,” Michael murmured, more for himself than anyone else, as he sat down in the nest next to Jeremy. He let Jeremy basically sit in his lap as he managed to hold him close with one arm while he still drank his Ecto Cooler. Spooky. “He also is human. It’s a long story, but basically, him drinking my blood has transferred to become  his blood now. Hence why his heart can beat and the fact that he’s warm, etcetera etcetera.”

Rich look mystified. “He’s... alive again. You brought him back, Michael,” he whispered before looking up at Michael. “Holy shit, thank you so much. You... you’ve given my brother life again.” He was clearly getting emotional, and he reached out to cup Jeremy’s cheek with one hand. “God, you  are warm, Jere.”

Michael couldn’t help but smile at the scene, especially as Jeremy leaned into Rich’s hand. “I don’t need thanks. I’m just glad to have been able to do this unknowingly.”

“M’alive again, Richie. I get a proper life with him,” Jeremy murmured, nuzzling against Rich’s hand before leaning back against Michael’s chest with a content sigh. “S’all so much but it’s... m’alive.” 

Rich grinned, nodded, and stood. “I’ll go filter in everyone slowly to make sure they don’t overwhelm you, bro. And I’ll also let Jake know for you too so the pack doesn’t worry.”

“Thanks, Rich,” Michael said as he cradled Jeremy close. He pressed a kiss to Jeremy’s forehead as Rich left the den. “Hey Remy, how’re you feeling?”

“Overwhelmed but so good.” Jeremy hummed, closing his eyes. “Also tired, but not super tired yet.”

“Yeah, that’s exhaustion, but you aren’t actually able to sleep. That’s a pain in the ass,” Michael chuckled before pressing a few kisses to Jeremy’s temple.

“You’re gonna have to teach me how to be alive again. I don’t remember half the things I need, and times are very different.” Jeremy tilted his head to look up at Michael, glancing at his lips briefly.

“I will let you know that you do need to pull back to breathe during kissing,” Michael teasingly yet seriously said before giving Jeremy a quick peck on the lips.

Jeremy followed his lips a little with a soft whine. “Kiss me more? That felt even better than normal.”

“What’s the magic word?”

“Please?”

Michael couldn’t help but smile down at Jeremy, who was alive. He could truly live a life with him, and they would get past this chapter of their life. Everything would be better, and they would thrive as Jeremy learned to be human again and then, eventually, a werewolf too.

“Alright, but only because you’re cute.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Do you like our works? Check out our new Tumblr. It's the best place to find out about our newest projects and stories, so be sure to check us out there if you like our work and want to support us! Here's a link so you can check it out yourself: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/mariwritingoffical

**Author's Note:**

> Do you like our works? Check out our new Tumblr. It's the best place to find out about our newest projects and stories, so be sure to check us out there if you like our work and want to support us! Here's a link so you can check it out yourself: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/mariwritingoffical


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